Abduct Me With Your Love
by xbitterangelx
Summary: Bella Swan is abducted from her family and will only be returned for a price - in midst of being locked up, she meets one of her kidnappers and becomes irrevocably drawn to the green eyed man. Does he share the same feelings? AH. Rated M for lemons.
1. Prologue

_**Author's Note; Hey guys. I know, I know your probably all thinking 'What the hell are you doing writing another story while in the middle of another one?' call me fucking crazy, but this idea has been planted in my head for too long now. DON'T WORRY. I'm still continuing The Other Side Of You. Fear not! But this story has been rattling in my brain and I had to write it down. Luckily for me, my beta from The Other Side Of You agreed to beta for this story as well so I'm super stoked. **_

_**I really hope you guys give this story a chance and not fret too much about me quitting The Other Side Of You. Honestly, I'm not. I'll continue to write as much as I can! This is just my prologue for my new story, so I really hope you guys like this.**_

_**Thanks to my wonderful beta, Jenn!**_

_**Fucking enjoy ;)**_  
_**- Shelby**_

* * *

Prologue

Bella lolled her head around the too familiar dark room, her lips pressing together as she tried to control her whimpers. The green eyed man had left so abruptly all she could do was sense his anger towards her – all because she wanted to see his face. Granted, she shouldn't want to see him considering he was apart of her abduction, using her for her stepfather's money. What would Charlie say if he found out that she was growing feelings for one of her kidnappers? What would anyone say? It is complete taboo – out of the ordinary. You do not develop feelings for someone who you should hate with your entire body and soul. But the green eyed man was the only one out of the group who she could talk to – even if he was stiff and somewhat stubborn. Just like her.

_No Bella, you can not have feelings for this man! You don't even know what he looks like! Stop it! _

It was the fabric of the ski masks that kept her from seeing her perpetrators, seeing the green eyed man. Bella's head moved back to the side as she tried to think of something else, but her mind always drifted to the same things. If it wasn't the green eyes then it was of Charlie – how worried he must be, or Renee and how she must feel. Bella wondered what they were doing right now. Were they together trying to find an agreement with Phil's money? Or had they given up? It'd been weeks now, or so Bella thought. There wasn't even a clock in here so she could keep time – not even a window to know if it was day or night.

Bella cried once again, her eyes catching the plate in front of her, filled with what looked like week old pasta salad. Bella moved to the plate as much as she could without the cuff around her ankle penetrating deep in skin and grabbed it quickly, flinging it against the door. She covered her face immediately as shards of the plate and pasta flew out, one piece of glass stabbing her arm. The pain was dull to her though, her lips pressing together as she suppressed yet another whimper.

A latch at the door caught her attention and she turned to see someone opening the door. She blinked her eyes to rid of her tears, her hands wiping them away from her dirty face. The man stood awkwardly near the door, ready to bolt or come closer if needed, and the only reason she knew it was him was because the ski mask didn't cover his eyes. The dark emeralds embraced her with something she couldn't put her finger on. Regret? Compassion? Certainly not such emotion from the man who was involved in taking her away from her beloved family. Bella sniffled, her fingers running through her greasy hair as she tried to think of the words.

"Are you mad?" She asked quietly, knowing that he was fuming earlier when she attempted to take off his ski mask. He probably thought she was trying to get a glimpse of his face for future reference – so she could point out that it was him who had taken her from her life. But that wasn't the reason why Bella did it – or at least she was beginning to realize why she didn't do it. If the man hadn't sprinted off so fast, she would have seen his face.

"You need to eat." He growled and she flinched on the dirty floor, watching as he examined the food on the ground. He chuckled darkly as if he were mad at her, which only answered her earlier question. She bit down onto her bottom lip tenderly, it already chapped from her licking it so frequently – she was always too tempted when it came to the green eyed man. "You are so stubborn, you know that?" He groaned as he began picking the pieces up from her mess.

"I could say the same for you." Bella sneered quickly, and her words hurt the green eyed man. He knew he was stubborn and he knew he was foolish – you never mix business with pleasure but it was different on this occasion.

"You were trying to take off the one thing that's hiding my identity." Green Eyes said, and Bella could see his muscles rippling underneath his black shirt. She sucked in a deep breath that came in staggered and left heavily. Surely some of these feelings must be reciprocated for her – right? Bella pondered on the subject and then shook her head – maybe the lack of sunshine and fresh air was making her crazy.

"I wasn't going to…tell anyone." She began and Edward just huffed at her. Bella wanted to move closer to where he was kneeling, picking up the shattered glass, but the ankle cuff quickly trashed the idea. "I know you're smart. You think if I see your face you'll be the first person to land in prison." She muttered, and the green eyed man stilled, his eyes flickering from the plate and then to her. "If it were any of the others then you must believe I would have them sketched out and scanned for…" She gulped as her hand went across the stone floor, where she could see his hand only inches away due to the small lamp in the corner shining against their skin. Bella touched his skin, and a small spark of electricity flowed between them – both felt it. "You're different… And I don't know why."

"How can you trust me?" Green eyes whispered in a cracked tone, his body falling so he was sitting instead of kneeling. "I took everything from you, everything!" He growled, his head going into his hands. He was disgusted with himself – disgusted that he had pitched the idea in the first place. Matter was no object to him – he barely cared for it. It was Aro who wanted the money – green eyes wanted nothing from it. He just wanted Isabella safe.

Her sharp intake of breath connected him back to reality and he looked up to her. She was as close as she could get without the cuff breaking her off, though even then she was still too far away. "You can give it all back." She whispered so softly that he barely heard it – but he knew exactly what she said.

Could he really give it all back to her?

* * *

_**Brutual opinions? Wonderful reviews? I accept either or :)  
**_


	2. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note; Welp, here is the first chapter to my story Abduct Me With Your Love. I hope you guys like it and send it around to your friends. I got a good chunk of readers for the prologue but with your help, I know this story can become something bigger.**_

_**Lots of thanks to my Beta, Jenn! **_

_**And that's pretty much it. So mother fuckin' enjoy.**_

* * *

Chapter 1

Brown eyes reflected brown eyes, and the soft pale hand gently went across the black fur. The texture of the hair was something different to the girl, it wasn't thin like a small dog's or thick like a cat's but just in between. The girl smiled at the horse as it nudged its nose against her shoulder, loving the affection. The girl laughed at the feel of the horse's nose hairs against her shoulder, smirking as her finger trailed the white marking across the horse's nose. Her hand reached into the bucket next to her as she grabbed the small bits of carrots and held them in her palm, allowing the horse to wet her skin. She giggled when the carrots were gone, wiping her hands on her old denim jeans. The girl and the horse shared a connection as the sun splayed from the window, dancing across her skin and the horse's black fur.

The horse huffed, as if it was laughing at her and she couldn't help but grin, her lips going forward to press on the horse's snout, which happily obliged, neighing respectively. "Not much longer 'til I can take you home again. No more of these silly races." She smiled, "We already have your new barn ready, and you're gonna love it. I promise." The girl whispered to the horse who huffed once again as if it understood her.

"Well hello there, Bella." An old voice came behind her, and Bella spun as she saw Rick, the barn keeper of the horses here at the Turf Paradise Race Track, walk closer to her with a limp in his leg. "Expected you here." He smirked smugly as he set his hand against the sliding door, but didn't move it. "You know the race is in two hours."

"I know." Bella smiled as she turned back to her horse, petting its nose before looking back to Rick, "Just wishing Adara good luck – though I'm sure she doesn't need it." She laughed, her fingers going down the white of the horses nose. "She can cream all of those Stallions out there." Bella smirked as the horsed stomped its feet as if in agreement.

"Oh, I've got no doubt in my mind that she could. She's already proven herself last race. She's lookin' good too. Trevor took her out this morning." Rick mentioned and Bella couldn't help but roll her eyes at the name of _Trevor_. Out of all of the jockeys in the world, Phil had to pick the most insensitive prick of them all. Trevor Hemmingsworth had been chasing Bella for nearly two years and every single time, she turned him down. When would the poor kid get the picture?

"Well Trevor has nothing to do with her win. It's all this baby right here." Bella smiled, patting Adara's neck.

"Miss Swan?" Garrett, Bella's own security guard, muttered from the entrance of the barn, standing straight and tall as his black suit and sunglasses made him look that much more intimidating. "Your mother is ready for you at the Club House." He said through tight lips and Bella nodded, turning back to Rick with a smile.

"You'll take good care of her?" Bella asked and Rick nodded, stroking his white beard under his chin.

"Only the best, Bella." He smirked before turning away to tend to the other horses that were itching to race, though Bella knew her horse hated to race. She could tell in the way Adara would become tense when walking to the gates, but she also knew that when it came time to run, Adara was focused as ever. If only she could run in open grass besides a race track. Bella was glad that dream would come true very soon for her lovely Adara.

"You'll do great out there." Bella muttered, patting her mane before setting a kiss in the space between the horse's eyes. "I'll see you soon." She promised, petting the horse's nose once more before turning to walk away towards Garrett, who accompanied her by her side silently as they walked to the white Escalade.

Garrett held the door open for Bella as she slid in the back. She left just in the nick of time because the jockeys began filling into the barn, retrieving their appropriate horse to begin setting it up for the big race. Bella shift uncomfortably in her seat as she noticed Trevor going to Adara, who she could sense did not show him the same loving manner as she did towards Bella, until finally the entrance of the barn was out of her view.

"Miss Swan, must I remind you that you are going to see your mother?" Garrett said with a smirk in his voice from the front seat. Garrett was a man of not so many words, but when he did speak he always had a spark of sarcasm with him that Bella appreciated. Bella glared down at her attire, she was wearing her denim jeans, a loose gray t-shirt and her Converse. Her eyes widened quickly, but Garrett was already shoving a box towards her through the window that came between the back of the car and the front.

"You're a lifesaver, Garrett." Bella smiled as she grabbed the box, watching him nod as the privacy window went up. Bella unbuttoned her jeans as fast she could, considering the drive from the barn to the club house was only a short five minutes – and not soon after that she was completely naked besides her boy panties and bra. Had it been anyone else in the front seat Bella would never dare to do this, but considering it was Garrett she knew he wouldn't take a peak. After all he was married with two sons and a daughter. Bella opened the white box, groaning quickly at the Dior dress Garrett had picked out, or rather her mother had ordered. Bella hated wearing things _this_ expensive.

Though expensive it may be, Bella did like the look of it. It had a white backdrop with a thin sheet of floral printing on top of it. It was short and fun, and though Bella really hated dressing up she was just glad Renee had actually picked something she liked – though she'd never be okay with the price.

Bella slipped the dress on, her long arms pulling up the zipper just before they pulled into the parking lot of the club house. Bella flipped the small mirror down from the ceiling of the car, pulling the rubber band from her hair to let her natural curls fall. She added a teeny bit of nude lipstick that was also in the box, and decided she would do her mother justice. Bella pressed the button to the privacy window, watching it go down and Garrett looking back at her from the rear view mirror, and then to the Rolex watch on his wrist.

"Exactly one minute and thirty seconds. A new record, Miss. Swan." Garrett told her as Bella was snapping on her nude Dior heels, opening up the door as she smiled back at him. "If they made a sport out of this, you'd win the gold. What's your secret?"

"Lots and lots of practice." Bella smirked, grabbing the purse on the floor and stepping out of the car. Garrett was instantly by her side, escorting her into the building. But before they entered the VIP club house, they had to go through the first club house. Oh how Bella longed to be in the ordinary club house. When they passed the rooms of people taking their seats in front of the large glass window that showed the whole track, eating at their chicken wings and placing their bets in the booth in the corner right, Bella felt a twinge of jealousy – how she wanted so badly to sit with them in her jeans and t-shirt, not concerned of the mess she made.

The rooms disappeared and they entered the luxurious entrance of the VIP club house. The chandelier glistened above the main room, and people walked around as if they had sticks stuck up their ass. They all dressed the same – the men in suits and the women in dresses and Bella felt stupid because she looked just like them. Garrett walked Bella up the grand stairs and to the very large dining room where people sat at their round marble tables, nibbling on crackers with caviar and sipping on wine.

You couldn't miss Renee. There were two security guards who wore exactly what Garrett did surrounding Renee and her friends. They were sitting right next to the large glass that showed an even bigger and better view of the race track than in the ordinary club house and as Bella entered near them, they were placing their bets.

"Isabella!" Renee cheered, standing up and looking enthralled Bella hadn't walked in wearing jeans and a t-shirt, though Bella would love to do nothing but. Bella grabbed a chair and before sitting into it, she was forced to receive kisses on the cheek from Renee's friends. Garrett joined the other men on the side, overlooking everything and everyone. Bella always wondered if they ever tired of trying to protect them. But with the big money Phil, Bella's stepfather, was giving them – they couldn't ever get tired. It was always about the money for some people.

"You look absolutely gorgeous, Isabella." Cathy, Renee's older and much larger but insanely rich friend, gushed to her, running a hand through her curl. "You don't find many ladies like this one anymore." Cathy said in a thick southern accent, and Bella just smiled as a thanks. She hated these praises. She only knew they were happening because she was dressed up as a doll.

"So lovely…" Janay, Renee's snobby and know-it-all friend, muttered with a hint of fabrication in her voice. Bella narrowed her eyes at her, but was distracted by Renee who patted her leg underneath the table. She turned to her mother and smiled, reminding herself that she was doing this for her.

"Thank you, ladies." Bella elegantly said, coughing back a laugh that tried to erupt from her lips. Their normal waiter, Louis, came over in his all black attire, holding a silver plate as he noticed Bella's presence.

"What may I serve to you wonderful and beautiful women?" Louis smiled, and he was obviously attempting to flatter us with compliments to ensure a good tip. _Good thing Renee and Cathy were generous women_, thought Bella, _Though I can't say the same thing for Janay. _All three women ordered some kind of salad, along with a very expensive wine to sip on for show. When it came time for Bella to order, she glanced down at the menu but nothing caught her eye.

"Do you guys have chicken wings?" Bella asked, her mouth already watering for the taste of it. All three women and even Louis looked at her as if she were crazy. Renee laughed awkwardly at what she thought was a joke, but Bella was dead serious. Cathy smiled at her, liking the spontaneous attitude Bella had, and Janay just glared – playing with the diamond rock in her ear as if she was trying to flaunt it but no one was paying attention.

"No, Ma'am." Louis said, "We do not." He said through thin lips and Janay suppressed a giggle as her glove cover hand went over her mouth.

"But they were serving it at the other club." Bella mentioned, a small frown playing on her plump lips. She wanted those damn chicken wings, and she would do anything to get them.

"The _lower class_ clubhouse is different from the VIP clubhouse." Louis scoffed as if he was offended and Bella just shrunk back in the chair. Was it really that difficult for her to just have a normal plate of chicken wings?

"The Chicken Vindaloo is fine then. With a water, please." Bella grumbled and Renee smiled pleasantly at her daughter's new choice of food. Louis took their menus and headed to the kitchen to place their order.

"Oh, Renee darling – I must tell you about George becoming president of the company. Really it's a thrilling story." Janay gushed and Bella just rolled her eyes, sinking down into her chair in a very unladylike manor. Bella was thrown into the pool of older women gossip and talk of each of their husband's jobs. Bella always wondered why Renee ended up marrying Phil, who owned the very successful Dwyer Oil Company. Was it for the obvious money Phil had? No – it couldn't be. Renee wasn't shallow like that – she had never been. Bella could only assume it was true love for Renee. She never bragged about him as much as the other ladies, but she glowed when she did talk about him. Yes, definitely true love.

But why was Bella pushed into the madness? She hated the spotlight that she was put in. Phil never had any kids, so that meant that the heir to the company was Bella, though she would never accept it. Bella was an eco-friendly type of girl, and oil was a traitor amongst her. And it's not that Bella didn't like Phil, he was funny in an old man kind of way and he was smart – he knew the choices he had to make in order to keep the business running. He was a good man, a little young for Renee, yes, but either way he was a good man for her.

Bella played with her iPhone until her lunch arrived nearly an hour later and the race was getting ready to start; she ate every single bit of her Chicken Vindaloo while the women still picked at their salads. Bella excused herself as she wiped her mouth, not minding that her lipstick came off as well. Bella stood from the chair and walked to the glass, her nose skimming it as she could pick out Adara from anywhere. Her head gear was green with her name written across the top, and Bella smirked as she gave Trevor attitude when he tried to pull her to the right.

It was a shame they put something as egotistical as Trevor on top of such a beauty like Adara.

"Good morning, and welcome to the Turf Paradise Race. We will begin in thirty minutes." The loud voice said on the speaker phone, and Bella turned back to the table until it was time to get up again.

"And he turned to me and asked where all the money was, and I said how the hell should I know? I'm just the wife!" Cathy said loudly and all three women began laughing. It literally gave Bella a headache and she had to close her eyes. Then they were suddenly open when she felt something tickle her nose. A man dressed in white set a vase of red roses on the table, and the women swooned as Bella looked at it confusingly.

"Compliments of Mr. Hemmingsworth." The man said, and the ladies moaned once again in satisfaction. Bella just rolled her eyes, picking the card as she read….

_**Roses are red, violets are blue – please tell me that you adore me too.**_

Bella laughed at the cheesy line, shoving the card for the women to read. Renee read it out loud and Bella cringed when they all 'awed' at her. The man walked away and Bella pushed the vase to Janay, who looked at her strangely.

"Of all the women who are interested in him, Isabella, you should be honored that he gives you his full and undivided attention." Janay snapped at her but it didn't faze Bella. She'd like Trevor if he wasn't such an egotistical maniac who only cares about himself and his own well being. The only reason why he was chasing Bella was because she didn't want him in the first place; he was bitter.

"Or do you mean I'm lucky because he has money to buy me things?" Bella questioned, sitting upright in her chair. Her tone was icy and Renee gasped at Bella, and Cathy bit back a laugh – glancing to Janay who eyed Bella cautiously. "I don't know about you, but to me it's more than how much money a man has. And though _Mr. Hemmingsworth_ is loaded, it doesn't replace his narrow minded brain."

"Bella is waiting for the right man to come along, isn't that right?" Renee said, trying to save her daughter from the mess she just made. Bella just smiled at Renee, and Renee reflected it. Bella knew that Renee wanted her to be happy, but deep down inside Renee Bella knew she hoped that she would marry into a rich family just so she could be supported through life. Bella was never offended by this fact because she knew that's just how Renee worked now – she wanted Bella to be satisfied and live a happy life.

"Well, Isabella one man will come along for you, I can assure you." Cathy said brightly to save this train wreck of a conversation. Janay didn't say a word to Bella for the rest of the evening.

xx

Bella's nose was literally against the window this time, her palms making prints on the glass as she watched the horses start at the gates, her eyes fixated on Adara. She seemed nervous, her head turning as much as it could as she looked around her – checking her scenery. Though she knew the sounds of the speakerphone and she looked forward to the track. Bella praised her in whispers, and as if by some miracle Adara could hear her, she began to calm down, eyeing the track and ready to run.

"Honey, do you want to place bets on Adara?" Renee called out and Bella turned to sneer at her. Renee got the picture and turned away back to her friends as they placed their last bet. Bella hated the fact that they placed bets on the horses just to make money; it made Bella sick. Really, some people would do anything for money. Bella turned her head back to the glass as her heart was racing, the man on the speakerphone telling us that we had less than a minute left. Adara stomped her feet, her body on the gate so she was ready to run right when they opened.

Everyone was sitting down in their chairs, watching as an impatient Bella was leaning against the glass. The timer began counting down from ten, and Bella's breathing increased, her eyes right on Adara who continued to stomp her feet.

**Five, four, three, two, one…**

The gates opened, and the horses flew out.

xx

It was a rainy day in Seattle and Edward Cullen sat in the local coffee shop, sipping on his hot coffee. He read the Seattle Newspaper, and it was another article on the front page about the infamous gang of thieves. Edward smirked inwardly – he loved making the news and he was just basking it in. He turned the page to continue to read about the Volturi, taking his cup and tasting the scorching hot coffee, not minding that it burnt his tongue. "More coffee?" The cute tiny waitress, Anna, asked him. Edward nodded, smoldering a smile that made Anna shake in her shoes.

"Thank you." He said slowly and somewhat erotically. Anna walked away, biting at her lip as she loved it when Mr. Cullen gave her the attention she craved. Edward glanced back to the paper, reading…

_**The gang notoriously known in Seattle named The Volturi has struck again, and without regret. This time it was in Westton, the neighborhood known for large and elegant houses – surely Westton would be a great target for the Volturi. Mr. Jason Smith of Smith Law Firm came home to a chaotic house and his deceased wife's jewelry missing. Together, the missing jewelry adds up more to than fifty thousand dollars, but surely that's not all they could have taken. The Volturi also got their hands on Mr. Smith's vault in his home office, stealing more than two thousand dollars in cash that Mr. Smith had for emergency.**_

_**The only clue that it was in fact The Volturi was their infamous large V painted black on the wall.**_

Edward was quite fond of drawing the V. It gave people a sense of fear, you need people to be afraid in order for them to respect you. The bell on the door rang, and Edward turned to see his sister strut in with a smile. Edward closed the paper, turning away and groaning quietly.

_How does she always know where to find me?_

Alice came skipping up, pulling the chair out next to him and sitting herself down. "A green tea and a biscotti, please." Alice said to Anna just before her arm went around Edward. He grumbled some kind of curse word under his breath as he continued to sip his coffee. "You know, Kaylee waited a long time for you last night."

_Oh so this is what it's about…_

"I told you not to set me up with your friends, Alice. All of them are rich brat bitches, and I'm really not fucking interested." He snarled, closing the newspaper as he turned to his sister. Alice tried to set Edward up with all of her friends, but really Edward couldn't care less about Alice's friends, nor Emmett's. Alice was too dependant on Carlisle and Esme's money, and Emmett was just an asshole. He and Edward didn't see eye to eye all the time.

With such rich adoptive parents, people would think Edward would be wealthy. But the moment Edward turned eighteen he was out of that house, and into his own studio apartment, which he soon upgraded to a one bedroom apartment when he got his job as a tattoo artist, plus the money from the Volturi. Edward never went crawling back to Carlisle even when the times were tough, and times did get very tough for Edward. He was on the brink of financial suicide before he joined the Volturi.

"She is not a brat. And she doesn't care if you don't have any money." Alice said in a tone that made Edward cringe. He had money – they just didn't know he had money. "You really upset her."

"How will I live on?" Edward said sarcastically, "Oh I know, I'm going to sit here and sip my coffee and enjoy this rainy day." He smirked and Alice narrowed her eyes at him, she never knew why he was such a big asshole – even to family.

"Well when you are old and gray with a hundred cats, don't come complaining to me, because I tried!" She squeaked, beginning to eat her biscotti when it was given to her.

"I never asked for your help, Alice. You forced it upon me. Plus – I don't want a girlfriend. They are nothing but trouble." Edward said sternly. Girlfriends were a problem. They were needy and stubborn. They wanted presents and love – something Edward just couldn't give.

"How about a boyfriend?" Alice grinned widely and Edward turned to glare at her. "Kidding!" She giggled as she sipped on her tea. "Well, not matter if you do end up alone you'll always have us." She said, and Edward nodded. It was true – no matter what kind of fucked up shit Edward had gotten himself into, his family would always be there – even if they found out the truth about him being involved in the Volturi.

Alice and Edward sat in silence, but it wasn't awkward for either one of them. This is how it was normally spent between the two of them. After they were done, they said goodbye and Edward promised to come see her and his parents very soon before paying for _both_ of their beverages and snacks. Edward didn't have much money, but he wasn't dirt poor. Edward then escorted Alice out to her car, kissing her cheek lovingly before she drove away, and then he turned on his heels to begin walking. It didn't take long for him to get to his apartment considering it was only a block away, and when he arrived he rubbed his eyes with the palm of his hands – sleep was very near in his future.

For such a small apartment, it was insanely organized. Edward's OCD was something he hated, but he just had to do it in order to move on with the day. Everything was in the correct arrangement, and if something was out of line he would begin twitching. Edward slinked down into his leather chair, the only expensive furniture in his home as he concluded that he was tired from their heist from last night.

Edward was never in it for the money. The money was just a bonus for him. What he enjoyed was the thrill of the adrenalin pumping through his veins when they would break into a house. You had to be very careful with each step you took, because anything could happen and you had to be expecting the unexpected. The adrenalin was like his drug, something he was addicted to. He had broken into over forty houses stealing numerous things, and still had yet to be caught. The things he took he gave to Aro, who would split the cost between everyone. Edward always got the least, but he didn't care.

He just wanted the rush.

Edward stood from the chair and walked to his bedroom, needing to get rid of the want to sleep considering he had to be at Aro's in an hour. He pulled off his shirt and put on his black gloves, walking to the doorway. He rubbed his hands together, lifting them to hold the bar that rested between both sides of the door frame. He pulled himself up and down from the ground one hundred, twenty-eight times before his hands grew weak and then dropped to the floor to do ninety-six crunches.

Edward was obsessed with his body. Keeping it fit and tone was the most important thing to him. Usually he'd wake and drink a carton of milk before taking a ten mile jog downtown. When he'd return he would only have eggs for breakfast, and a power bar for lunch. Dinner he'd eat some kind of lean meats, and only once a month would he eat fast food, if even that. With this daily routine, his job and the secret identity he kept with the Volturi, Edward was always tired – though sleep wasn't his main concern.

After his eighty-two push ups and ten minutes with his punching bag, Edward was wide awake. He took a quick shower before putting on a black hoodie and a pair of jeans. He waited until nine to leave, and glanced out the window until it was that specific time. The rain dripped down the glass as he had a not-so-perfect view of the city. It was a deserted alley with only stray cats running through to look for mice, but he did have a good view of the sky. It was clouding with night, and the rain was becoming heavier. Edward wondered just for a moment what it would be like to have a normal life. A normal house, a normal job, a girlfriend who tended and cared for him. The thought was easily replaced with his need for his addiction to the rush, his lips pressing together as he pulled up his hood and walked out of his apartment at exactly nine o'clock.

xx

Bella sprinted down the grand stairs, her heels in one hand and her purse in the other as her brown curls bounced around her face, as the largest grin spread from cheek to cheek. Garrett was right behind her, trying to keep up – his face lined with worry. Didn't she know she couldn't just run like that? When Bella hit the floor, she continued to run, almost running into a very well-known rich couple who were walking to congratulate the winner. Bella hit the man's shoulder, turning quickly as her smile didn't fade. "I'm sorry!" She squealed before turning back around.

"Miss Swan!" Garrett called after her, but Bella didn't stop. She kept running through the normal clubhouse and out the door, sprinting to the side and past people who crowded around a fence to see the winning horse.

"Ah, Miss Swan…" The guard at the gate said, his eyes widening as he could see she was in a hurry. She pulled out her pass from her purse and the gate opened for her. Garrett was already behind her, trying to catch his breath. He didn't comment on his annoyance, and was just grateful that she was walking instead of running.

Bella walked into the track, not minding that the gravel under her was stabbing into her feet. She looked around, seeing the crowd of people around Trevor and Adara, the cameras flashing and news reporters shoving their microphones in his face. Bella waited impatiently until the crowd was smaller when she made her way to Adara. The horse sensed her as she came closer, it huffing in approval. Trevor was too busy to notice Bella with the cameras in his face, but Bella considered that a good thing.

The race came close to a tie, but Adara's front feet hit the line before the other horse even got there, and when her name blinked on the screen Bella screamed so loud that the people in the other clubhouse could hear her. Janay looked away, embarrassed, but Cathy and Renee smiled at her. That's when she took off running.

Bella sprinted up to her horse, quickly putting her arms around her neck and a kiss on the horse's very large cheek. "You did so well out there." Bella smiled, petting her mane.

"Why, thank you." A voice beside Bella said, and she instantly grinded her teeth at the sound of Trevor. She looked at him, noticing the large gold trophy that sat at his side as if he were flaunting it. She ignored him for the time being, giving all of her undivided attention to Adara, her arm going around half of her neck because that's all she could get considering the horses large size. Bella felt a hand on her waist and she froze instantly, her glare icy as she turned to Trevor who just didn't get the picture. "Did you get my flowers?" He asked simply and Bella laughed at the thought of the roses and how she openly gave them to Janay.

"Yes." She mumbled, stroking Adara's neck noting that Trevor's hand was still on her waist. She shifted so he dropped his hand, his body turning so he was in front of the horse and in her view. "They were lovely but I declined them."

"Declined them, Isabella?" He said sadly, but there was still a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "That was gift from my heart. How could you turn it down so coldly?"

"Because I don't want you to get the wrong impression of me." She smiled sweetly as she grabbed Adara's mask, pulling it off of her. The horse huffed in appreciation and nudged her nose against Bella's shoulder.

"And what impression would that be, Miss Swan?" Trevor asked, his hand skimming across her bare arm in an affectionate way. Bella cringed under his touch, shying away as she pulled her attention back to her horse.

"I'm not interested, Trevor. Save yourself the time and money." Bella snapped, grabbing the reins around her horse and began walking towards the appropriate truck, with Garrett not far behind.

"Bella, is it so hard for you to give me a chance?" Trevor asked, following her and ignoring the cameras that followed him. The team tried to take Adara from Bella, but she heard nothing of it. This was Adara's last race and Bella didn't want her to be overwhelmed with the team ever again. It was open grass for her beloved horse now.

"Trevor, you're a nice guy." Bella mused unenthusiastically as she shrugged, "You're just not what I'm looking for." She smiled back at him and Trevor stopped in his tracks, now being overwhelmed with the cameras once more.

"Bella!" Renee called out, and Bella stopped as Renee and Phil came to her arm and arm. They both had bright smiles on their face as they pat Adara in appreciation and congratulations. "That was a fine race, Adara." Renee mused as the horse, once again, basked in the attention. Bella smiled, putting her face against Adara's as they continued walking.

"She'll be all over the news. This is her fourth year in a row winning the championship. It's truly a miracle." Phil commented, petting her mane as they all continued walking.

"Well she did well during her time, but now for the rest of her life she can be free. No more stupid races." Bella smiled, pressing a kiss to Adara's black fur while Renee and Phil looked at each other for a moment. When they reached the truck, the driver pulled out the door of the trailer Adara would be in. Bella escorted her in and shut the door, not minding that dirt had just spilt onto her pretty dress. Renee flinched behind her.

"Ah! Trevor, my good boy!" Phil yelled and Bella rolled her eyes once again, and Renee tended to her side. Trevor came over and shook Phil's hand as Renee whispered compliments about Trevor into Bella's ear…

_What a catch he is…_

_He's so well put together…_

_Look at the way he's staring at you…_

_Bella you must give him a chance…_

Bella ignored her mothers comment and began walking away as the cameras showed up. Renee grabbed her arm and pulled her back in and Bella groaned loudly. "Stop it!" Renee growled. "Now, Trevor and Bella, get in the front." Renee said and Bella protested with another whimper, but Renee would have none of it. Trevor set his trophy in front of them, and then turned to smirk at Bella who only showed him a pitiful smile as Renee moved to stand on Bella's side and Phil on Trevor's.

Bella stayed close near her mom but right before the camera took the photo, Trevor grabbed Bella's waist and pulled her close to him, his lips going to her cheek. She didn't even have time to focus on what happened, thus not even having time to frown before the picture was taken.

_Stupid bastard. _

* * *

_**Author's Note; Trevor is a sneaky little bitch, huh? Already have chapter two underway so do not fret my little readers.**_

_**Oh and also I made a trailer for this fanfiction. The song in the trailer is called ET by Katy Perry, and it is pretty much the anthem of this story.**_

_**Just go to youtube and sure my youtube name forevertwilightxx and it's the second video.**_

_**Alright you guys all you have to do now is review! So please tell me your honest opinion! Thanks so much guys.**_

_**xoxox **_

_**- shelby**_


	3. Chapter 2

_**Author's Note; Alrightyyyy this was a hard chapter to get up (haha that's what she said…get it? Get up? No? okay….) ANYWAYS I sent my beta this chapter and I think along the lines of her sending it back something must have happened because I haven't heard from her yet (hope everything is okay, Jenn!) so I know a lot of you have been sending me emails about when I'll update so I gave this chapter to my best friend Caity really fast and she corrected things for me in replacement for my original beta just for this chapter.**_

_**So PLEASE stop messaging me! Here's your chapter! Happy? I bet you are. **_

_**First off I'd like to thank my Beta, Jenn as usual. She probably has her edited version somewhere and something just got in the way. Hope everything is alright with you, Jenn. EMAIL ME ASAP so I know you didn't fall off the face of the Earth. Haha… but srsly…**_

_**And thank you to Caity who beta'd real fast for me. (seriously she did it within like ten minutes. Kinda epic…) **_

_**And thank you nouveauyou for correcting me on my horse anatomy. Obviously I am not a genius in that department, haha. I will do my research next time. **_

_**Alright you guys, you asked for it.**_

_**Now go read.**_

_**Love yaaaaa you crazy motha fuckas. **_

**

* * *

**

Chapter 2

The security guard at Swissa Jewelers quivered as he felt the barrel of the gun against his right temple; sweat beading off of his brow as anxiety filled his veins and his lips began murmuring silent prayers. The man holding the gun chuckled, his face covered besides his eyes due to the black ski mask. The four other men who donned the black ski masks as well hit every security camera, cutting off the wires to disconnect them.

Edward turned to the security guard who trembled in fear, twirling the tip of his William Henry knife in his glove covered palm, his eyes moving from the blade to the man. "Honestly – I'd expect more security in this place." Edward chuckled, shaking his head. "I thought that this would be a challenge, but you've proved me wrong." Edward smirked, but the man could not see it. "You don't mind if we borrow a few things, right?" He asked innocently and the man stayed silent, avoiding the green eyes. Edward glanced at Caius who poked the man with the gun once again.

"You ungrateful bastards." The security man finally spoke as he saw a man behind Edward mark a very large black V, the paint dripping down the elegant cream colored wall. "My partner will be back at any minute, and all of your sorry asses will be dragged to prison where you belong!" The man snarled and Edward only shook his head, glancing back to Felix who guarded the door. Demetri set the paint down and walked to the glass cases with Alec. Marcus gave them a thumbs up when he turned off the cases alarms, and the two men took crowbars, smashing the glass open. Alec and Demetri shoved all sorts of items into sacks, which included diamond rings, necklaces, and watches, anything that was valuable enough to give to Aro.

Edward took the knife to the man, setting it against his bare neck as he shook under the blade, taking in a define gulp that rolled against the razor. The knife traveled down his neck and to his breast pocket where Edward slit it open, catching a key that fell from the fabric. "Thanks." Edward smirked and the man squirmed but stilled when he heard the gun next to his head cock.

Edward swayed with determination as he reached a door, sliding the key through it and opening the door to reveal a large rectangular office, a mahogany desk on the opposite side from the door, banners hanging from the ceiling and pictures of whose ever office this was. Edward passed some shelves with books and trinkets on them, shoving them down with his hand, glass shattered on the floor as books ripped from the fall. His eyes then fixated on a glass container not too far from him. He walked to it slowly, his gloved covered hands touching the rare diamond necklace that was under lock and key.

Edward wasn't stupid. He knew that this rare diamond necklace had a built in alarm system, they wouldn't openly leave it here for someone to take. Edward began searching for the key high and low, shattering shelves and ripping apart drawers in the desk. And when he had finally given up, something caught his eye. He remembered Aro mentioning something about the owner of the store – how she used to be a dancer and one of her prize possessions was a music box she had received from her mother before she took the stage. Aro always background checked the place they were going to rob – something to give his team extra inspiration if they knew their opponents weaknesses and strengths. Edward walked towards a small music box that was on the ground, noticing that it was something he had carelessly thrown on the floor. He sank to his knees, grabbing the box and ripping out the stupid ballerina before it could start twirling in the same circle, and sure enough the key was on the other end.

Edward turned back to the glass case and grabbed the lock, setting the key inside of it. He bit down onto his tongue, hoping that this was the right key – knowing if it wasn't there was a chance an alarm could trigger off. Edward twisted the key in the lock and sure enough the lock popped right off.

xx

Later in the early morning, Edward finally got home. He started to play his voicemails, listening to Esme's tenth voicemail today. She said the same thing all the time. She missed him, she wants him to come home, and it's not the same if she can't see him everyday. Edward groaned and deleted her voicemails. He would go see her eventually, but as of right now it was too dangerous. He trusted the Volturi enough to rob places with them, but not enough to have them in his private life. That would always be private.

Coming treading down the hall was Edward's dog, Russell. Edward fell down onto his chair and Russell sat his head down onto Edward's lap. Edward petted his head affectionately, grabbing a treat from the counter next to him. "Sit." Edward told Russell who now gave him his undivided attention. Russell sat right when he was told and Edward threw the treat up in the air. Russell jumped high, catching it instantly. "Good boy." Edward said with a smirk, rubbing his dog's head.

Grabbing his laptop, Edward set it down onto his lap – the TV playing in the background as he searched the local news. He continually hit the next button, ignoring the stories about walk-a-thons, local shootings, new businesses opening, and attempted to find something about the Volturi. It was Edward's job to make sure just enough information got out about them.

He stopped instantly when something caught his eye – a picture of a girl. Before even looking at the title, he couldn't stop staring. Edward glanced down her perfect features. Her jawbone, her nose, her lips, her big brown chocolate eyes. Edward couldn't stop staring – and he didn't know why. Edward's fascination of her picture was quickly replaced with an idea. An idea that was so good it just had to work.

_**Arizona's Oil Tycoon, Phil Dwyer, Stepdaughter To Visit**_

And with that thought – the most devious smirk appeared on Edward Cullen's face.

xx

Bella gripped the reins tighter on Adara, her heels gently kicking against the horse's side to pick up her speed. Adara was going race track fast against the grass, Bella's hair whipping around her head as the wind blew past her. When they reached the top of the hill, Bella pulled on the reins, and Adara began slowing down. Phil's mansion was lit up, and nearly a hundred cars parked outside the road and in the grass. Bella leaned her hand down, rubbing Adara's neck who huffed, glancing out to the distance. Bella tsked as she hit her side gently and Adara began walking towards the barn that wasn't far from the mansion.

The party that was being thrown was in Adara's honor but all the attention was towards Trevor, who did nothing but sit on the horse that did all the work. Bella grumbled as she thought of Trevor who was basking in all the glory, taking in the compliments and just loving the fact that Phil was giving all his attention to him. As they became closer, the crowd was heard from inside the house as well as the orchestra Phil had hired to play all night long. Adara neighed in what seemed like annoyance and Bella smile, "I know. You should be the one in there getting all the attention." She laughed, swinging a leg over as she jumped down from the large horse. She grabbed her reins and began into the barn.

The other horses lifted their heads in curiosity as the large barn doors opened; Bella ticked her tongue at Adara who had distracted herself with a patch of grass right outside the doors. She perked her head and followed Bella while she greeted the other horses, touching their noses that peaked between the bars of their stables. Bella brought Adara back to her gate, shoving it open and putting her inside. Adara was greeted with a bucket full of feed which she graciously devoted all of her attention to.

"I'll be back later, alright?" Bella told her, her fingers running through the horse's mane, who was too busy eating to give any of her attention towards Bella. Bella began stripping her horse, taking off her reins and then the saddle, setting it outside of the barn before she returned to press a kiss to the horse's mane and walked out, closing and locking the gate as she did so.

Bella stepped up the patio of the mansion, ignoring the people who stared at her as she passed the large fountain surrounded by roses. The people who were deck with jewels and expensive clothing didn't even give Bella a second glance – only glared at her attire which was a plaid shirt and jeans with boots. They couldn't understand why Phil Dwyer's stepdaughter just didn't accept her new lifestyle – surely it must be better than the slump she was living in before her mother met Phil.

Yes – everyone knew her story, knew that before Phil there was Charlie, Bella's father. Renee and Charlie were that sappy teenage love story that you only heard about in the movies – but this one didn't have a happy ending. Married fresh out of high school and pregnant their first year of College, their life together only lasted until Bella was four and when Renee had enough of skimming by their bills she decided to break free. Charlie was devastated but Renee seemed to have no regrets.

Bella opened the back door that led into the kitchen, stepping in to only stop when a chef walked past her with a tray of something. Bella dodged it immediately, hearing the cooks and servers talking about as the rummaged around the kitchen. Bella tried to tip-toe out of the kitchen as fast as she could, but before she even got close to the door a sudden gasp filled her eyes.

"Isabella Swan!" The Irish voice called out and Bella froze, cringing at the voice. She slowly turned around to face Maggie, the head chef and all intent purposes Bella's nanny. She wore her large chef hat with her red hair pulled back in a tight bun. She was normal size, taller than Bella but very skinny – though do not let her petite looks fool you because they certainly did not fool Bella. Maggie was tapping her foot impatiently, ignoring the people who called her name behind her. "What on God's Earth have you been doing? Fiddling about? The party started well over an hour ago! Stop acting the maggot and head on upstairs!"

"Maggie, you know I can't understand you when you get all Leprechaun on me." Bella joked but Maggie wasn't interested in hearing it. Her blue eyes glared down at Bella and she squirmed.

"Your mother will hang me by ropes if she knows I let you go out there looking like that!" Maggie growled and Bella looked down at her attire. She wanted to know what was so wrong with a plaid shirt and jeans? Certainly it was everyday clothing so why did everyone give her such a hard time about it? Bella looked up at Maggie and shrugged.

"Then you better get a knife to cut yourself free, because this is what I am wearing." Bella smirked and Maggie was thinking about getting knife – not for ropes though. Bella turned around and walked out the kitchen doors and into the main hall where everyone stood around, picking at their plates as they chit-chatted about useless stuff. Bella stole a few looks, but ignore them – smirking at herself as she nearly skipped to the table filled with food. Once she arrived she began picking out some fruit that were dipped in chocolate. She moaned when it touched her lips, her taste buds going crazy.

"Well, well, well." A voice like nails on a chalk board screeched and Bella turned to see Lauren Mallory decked in a long gold floor-length gown. Her blonde hair flowed over her chest, some pinned back behind her head as her minion Jessica Stanley stood next to her in a short peach dress. "Look who just blew in from the Wild, Wild East."

Lauren Mallory was the epitome of dumb blondes. She made Paris Hilton look like Newton after he discovered the laws of motion. Descendant of Jacob Mallory, of Mallory Enterprises, her family would be wealthy for ages – which was good for her because she needed the money in replacement of that brain she seemed to be lacking.

"That's Wild, Wild West Einstein." Bella remarked with a huff, grabbing another chocolate covered strawberry.

"Doesn't matter, you still look like a frump." She told Bella, crossing her arms over her chest as if she thought she was making an impression. Bella swallowed the strawberry and turned back to Lauren.

"I'd rather look like a frump than be a mindless brat like yourself." Bella smirked and Lauren looked as if she was about to blow, but she kept her cool – for now.

"You don't belong here, Bella." Lauren shot at her, as if the comment stung Bella in any way possible.

"Couldn't agree with you more. So next time you want to make up a good comeback, make sure it's something that's actually worth saying." Bella told her with a laugh and Lauren was now fuming with anger.

"You know what, Swan?" Lauren began, "You are just…Just…" She couldn't think of anything and Bella waited patiently, sticking another strawberry in her mouth as Lauren tried to think of something.

"I am just what? I am just literally losing brain cells by talking to you? That seems to fit the bill." Bella told her, and Lauren groaned loudly, turning around and taking Jessica with her. Bella smirked inwardly and turned around to only be face by her mother. Renee was wearing a floor-length blue dress that was decked out in crystals. She was beautiful – something that Bella thought she herself could never pull off. But when Bella took notice in Renee's face, she squirmed under her glare.

Renee came closer to her, her heels clicking on the ground as Bella tried to be invisible but it was too late. Renee had already seen her and was going in for the kill. Renee gripped her daughter elbow and took her behind the large grand staircase. "What in the world are you wearing, Bella?" Renee spat and Bella glanced down at her attire, then back up at Renee.

"My party clothes?" Bella shrugged, her fake smile faltering when she knew that Renee was not pleased. "Look, I know you got my dress and stuff but that's just not me. Plus I was riding with Adara, you wouldn't want me riding in my dress now would you?"

"This is no time for your tasteless jokes, Isabella Marie Swan." Renee went _there_. She used her full name, and that's when Bella knew she was truly ticked off. "We have company and you can't just come in looking like…like…" Renee couldn't finish her sentence, but Bella knew what she was going to say.

"Like myself?" Bella finished her sentence.

Renee's face molded into sadness as she looked at the tears producing in her daughter's eyes. "You know that's not what I was going to say." Renee told her strictly, rubbing her arm.

Bella pulled away and shook her head, "Just admit it, mom. You're embarrassed by me."

"I did not say that! All I'm saying is that we have guest and this isn't a casual party. I need you to go get dressed for me, please." Renee begged and Bella could see the sadness in her mother's eyes. She wanted to impress her friends and wanted to show off her daughter – but she couldn't if Bella was dressed like this. Bella nodded in defeat, and walked to the elevator instead of using the grand stairs where everyone could see her. Bella looked back at Renee who stalked off to talk to her friends, but not before looking back at Bella and blowing her a meaningful kiss.

When Bella reached her room she sat down at her vanity, touching up on some make-up. It was the least she could do for her mother and Phil though she despised every moment of being dressed up. She clipped her hair back so her natural waves could descend down her back. She didn't look as a good as if she had gotten ready hours ago, but it'll do for now. She slipped into the purple gown her mother bought her, feeling the crystal's deck in a line on the fabric right below where her breasts fitted perfectly in the purple gown.

Bella stared at her reflection in the mirror, and actually liked what she saw. Of course she'd never be as beautiful as her mother; she liked the way the dress fit her body and flowed elegantly to the floor. She never was a girly girl, but when she did dress up she secretly liked it.

"Miss. Swan?" Garrett's voice interrupted her train of thought as he knocked on her door. Bella smoothed down her dress before opening her door to find Garrett who stood outside of it, not paying attention and listening into his ear piece, "Got it." He spoke into the microphone attached to the ear piece, "Time to go Miss. Swan." He told Bella and escorted her out and back to the grand stairs. "Isabella Swan will be descending the staircase as of right now." Garrett talked into his microphone and Bella smirked, rolling her eyes as she began down the stairs.

All eyes were on her, and that was the one thing she hated. She wanted to cover herself up with her arms but knew her mom would disown her if she tried to do such a thing as she walked down the stairs. People were gaping and their eyes were bugging out, and to Bella she thought something was wrong – something look off about her but then she noticed everyone was smiling. When she hit the floor she was greeted by her mother, who wrapped her arms around her whispering silent thank you's into her ears.

Renee directed her daughter into a crowd of people who stood around Phil, telling one of his infamous stories of becoming rich and famous. Everyone parted as Renee and Bella entered, and Bella couldn't help but notice Trevor who stood next to Phil – staring at Bella as if she were a piece of meat. Bella ignored his stare and stood by her mother, listening to Phil's countless stories.

"Ah, Bella. You look beautiful." Phil finally noticed, and Bella smiled as a thank you, glancing around the party. None of her friends were here – not that she had many and the ones she did have, she was starting to think, were only her friends because she had nice things. Bella was alone when it came to living here with her mother, though she didn't mind. She had Adara and that's all she needed. She continued to glance around; people were dancing and laughing – still picking at their caviar and sipping their wine. Bella turned to only be shocked by Trevor who was now in front of her. Bella grumbled under her breath and gave him a bored look.

"Mrs. Dwyer, would you ever so mind if I escorted your daughter for a dance?" Trevor asked, and Bella quickly looked to her mom, shaking her head. Renee would have none of that though and only smiled.

"Of course, it would be her honor." Renee said and Bella's eyes looked as if they were going to fall right out of her skull. Before she could protest herself, Trevor had grabbed her hand and pulled her to the center of the dance floor. One hand went onto her hip and she nudged it off quickly, but he only replaced it and locked his other hand with hers.

"You look absolutely stunning, Isabella." Trevor told her as they began to move. Bella stumbled over his feet due to her lack of rhythm and he only laughed at her. His laugh was low and stern, as if he was laughing at her. She shot him a look and parted her mouth.

"It's Bella, Trevor." She spat venomously and he held one hand up in surrender, smirking his white teeth. Bella tried to get her attention else where, concentrating on the joke she over heard Phil talking about. She didn't want to be here at all, let alone in the arms of the snake that is called Trevor Hemmingsworth.

"Come on, Isabella." There he goes with that name again. "One date; that is all I ask. One date. And if you don't like me by then…"

"Then what?" Bella interrupted him, "You'll continue to try even though I'm not interested?" She sneered and Trevor put a hand over his heart, his body shaking as if he were going to combust.

"You wound me. Once again. What does a guy like me have to do to get a date with a lovely girl like you?" He asked, playing with a loose curl that hung over her shoulder. Bella could feel his coldness seeping out of him. He wasn't warm – he was icy, like the ice age. She had a bad feeling when it came to Trevor, but for some reason he was just so drawn to her that it made it hard for her to shake him off.

"Trevor, you're a nice guy." Bella began, obviously lying through her teeth. "But this thing between you and I…" She stopped and shook her head, "There's nothing. Nada. Zilch." She stopped, seeing almost a fire grow behind his eyes. It was rage, anger and hate. For a moment, Bella feared for her life but Trevor had covered his temper quickly.

"I am sorry you feel that way, Isabella." He said once again, letting go of her. Bella took a step back, wanting to make sure that if she turned around he wouldn't pull out a pistol and shoot her for turning him down. "One day though, you will come to me. I am sure of it." He said, and turned away on his heels. Bella shuddered slightly, afraid of what he meant by one day. Would he force her? Of course not. Trevor may be relentless, but he was certainly no criminal. What would he do? Kidnap her?

Bella chuckled at the thought and turned around, walking back to Phil and her mother whose backs were turned towards her. Bella picked at the food as she dipped into their conversation.

"Surely you can't retire Adara already." A man in front of Phil said and Bella smirked, getting ready to add her input but Phil had beaten her to it.

"Of course not!" He bellowed and Bella froze. "Adara is in her mainstream years, we couldn't possibly retire such a horse. We are trying to enter her into the Kentucky Derby next year." The excitement in Phil's voice only made fire burn in Bella's veins. She dropped her plate which shattered on the floor – Phil and Renee both twisted at the noise and turned to stone when they saw Bella.

"Bella…" Renee said softly, reaching for her daughter but Bella stepped back, nearly tripping over her gown.

"You promised!" She yelled at Phil, pointing a disapproving finger at him. People were staring, but Bella didn't give a damn, she was livid and had every intention of telling Phil off. "You promised this would be her last one! She doesn't deserve to be in another!"

"Bella, you have to understand… She's at the top of her game. She's the best horse we have, the best horse in Arizona. Surely you must have seen that at the race." Phil told her, shaking his head and wondering why his stepdaughter was being so stubborn about this silly little subject. He would never understand her attachment to her horse.

"No! All her life she's been doing races! She's getting old, and you can't keep doing this to her! She wants to live out here on the ranch, not behind the gates! She hates it there, can't you see it?" Bella cried, tears already welding up over her eyelids. People around them thought Bella was crazy because she acted as if Adara had told her this herself. They began to question her sanity and Renee didn't know what to say – she knew one day they'd have to tell Bella that Adara wasn't done racing but how could she break her daughter's heart?

"The Kentucky Derby isn't until next year Bella, she'll have plenty of time to roam around until then it's not like we are racing her everyday." Phil chuckled, trying to ease the tension in the room.

"It doesn't matter! You'll be making her practice everyday up until then!" Bella couldn't lower her voice and the crowd they had attracted began whispering to each other. Lauren loved that Bella was making a fool of herself and stood next to Jessica with a wide grin on her face, but Bella didn't care. She only cared about Adara.

"Bella, can we please talk about this later?" Renee whispered. Bella thought what was there to talk about? Nothing. She kicked off her heels and wiped at her wet stained cheeks and turned around, running out of the main room.

She busted through the kitchen startling the staff including Maggie who called for her, but she ignored it, running out the back door and to the barn. The wind dried her tears, but more spilled out as the others left and when she finally reached the closed barn doors, Bella stopped – attempting to catch her breath. She wiped the oncoming tears and began unlocking the doors. She couldn't believe her mother was doing this to her horse again, couldn't believe that she broke her promise. How would Adara feel? Some how Bella knew Adara understood her when she told her she would be in no more races. Her poor, poor horse. She would be devastated.

Bella opened up the barn and the first head that popped out through the gates was Adara's. It was as if she could sense Bella's distress and Adara neighed as Bella became closer, and she gripped her horses' muzzle quickly, pressing her forehead against her nose. "I'm so sorry." Bella cried to Adara, petting her neck. "It was supposed to be over for you, but they won't let you stop." Her horse nudged her head and Bella could feel her tears wetting the big nose in front of her. "If it was my choice, I wouldn't allow them to put you in them at all. But I can't stop them. I'm so sorry."

Adara huffed in response and Bella began unlocking the gate, letting herself in. Adara's stall was slightly bigger than the other horses. It gave her room to stretch her legs, and when Bella first moved into Phil's house with her mom her and Adara instantly clicked, thus Bella made a spot for herself in Adara's stall. There was a chair with books that were stacked in on a shelf with a door, so Adara wouldn't be tempted to eat the paper, and a little lamp connected to stall above her head. Bella walked to her chair and Adara followed, and when Bella sat the horse lowered her head to feel Bella's affection. She stroked the hair on top of her head and sighed, hoping that one day Adara would not be subjected to the races.

Everything now was overwhelming Bella, and it was finally starting to hit her. Her own bodyguard, the dresses, the races, the evening dinners on yachts and private jets, her own mother subjecting her to such nonsense – it was all coming down on Bella. This wasn't her. To anyone else, all of these extra things would be divine to have if you could afford it, but it just wasn't Bella. The lifestyle of high class was weighing her down. If she continually was hold down by Phil's lifestyle, she'd eventually crack.

She needed to get away.

xx

Charlie Swan sat in his large recliner, his feet propped up as he watched the latest Yankee's and Red Sox's baseball game. He sipped on his beer as he began rummaging through the police paper work that sat on his lap. He read through the missing cases files, the payment overdue files, and of course the speeding ticket files. Charlie chuckled at the fact that his best friend's son, Jacob Black, has two speeding tickets in Forks that he still needs to pay. He'd be giving them a call soon, but will be sure to let Jacob off pretty easily – after all he is his best friend's son.

"What the hell was that?" Charlie screamed at the screen when the umpire called the Yankee's player out when he clearly touched the base before being hit by the ball. "Stupid umpires. All can go to hell." Charlie muttered under his voice, obviously conflicted with the game.

Just as the game started to become good his doorbell rang. Charlie groaned, trying to not peel his eyes away from the screen, but the doorbell just continued to ring. "Alright, alright! I'm coming!" He yelled. Whoever it was, they could clearly wait. "What the hell ump? What kind of call is that? Go back to Boston!" Charlie growled, finally reaching the door and taking his eyes away from the screen.

When he opened the door his brown eyes were connected with the same pair, only on a different body. Charlie grew flush pale as he saw who stood before him. It was the very last person he thought he would see, but he should have known she was going to arrive. With all the talk about her coming to Seattle, he figured she'd stumble onto his front porch – but never imagined it would actually happen.

"Bells?" He asked, still stunned. Bella stood in front of him with her bag in her hand. A soft smile spread across her lips when she heard him use her nickname. She couldn't find her words, and neither could he.

"Hi dad." Bella muttered in a tiny mouse voice. She was worried what his reaction would be considering she didn't call or even write an email. _Does Charlie even have email? _She didn't ponder on the thought for too long, because she finally saw her father change his expression.

Charlie smiled at his baby girl and opened the door wider, allowing his daughter into her old home.

* * *

_**Author's Note; oh hey. Did you like this chapter? Yeah? Okay. Go comment. Now. thanksss your sucha doll :) **_

_**love ya guys.**_

_**xo shelby**_


	4. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Hey guys sorry it took so long for me to update, I had a little crisis with my beta, as you may have gotten the notice. It's sad that Jenn is no longer my beta, but we decided it was a mutual break up haha. **

**With that said, my new beta is Lauren and she is amazing, and I thank her for taking over as well as you should thank her because without her, I wouldn't update due to my embarassement of the many typos I have. **

**Alright I won't talk much here. Thanks to Lauren for beta-ing, and of course you guys for reading.**

**xoxo **

**p.s. follow me on twitter! www(dot)twitter(dot)com/xbitterangelx  
You'll get all sorts of updates from me and where I currently stand with chapters.**

**Alright, go read ! :) **

**

* * *

**

Chapter 3

Renee watched as the elevator doors slowly slid open, the view of the hallway coming in eyesight as she stepped out, the faint music of the elevator disappearing all together. A grimy man shuffled with a limp down the hallway and Renee held her purse closer to her, clutching it as if her life depended on it. The man gave her a strange look as if she were crazy, but ignored it and headed to the elevator that was closing its door. Renee walked further down the hallway, then finally stopped in front of her destination.

Her knuckles were against the door, but she paused before making any sound, hearing something on the other side. It sounded like shuffling, like the person on the other side was moving things around. Renee finally swallowed her pride, and knocked four times. The shuffling on the other side stopped, footsteps became prominent as well as locks jingling and sliding open. Bella pushed the door wide open and had every intention of closing it right on her mothers face, but decided against it.

"What?" Bella seethed, her hair being pushed around from the fan that was blowing on the table next to the opened door.

"Can we talk?" Renee asked quietly and Bella just looked at her mother for a moment._ What the hell does she want to talk about?_ Bella ignored her thoughts and nodded, allowing Renee to walk inside.

"Look, sweetie…" Renee began as she walked into her daughter's home, stopping once she saw bags on the floor. Bags filled with clothes. Renee did a one eighty to look at Bella who was at the sink leaning against it. She wasn't stupid; she knew her mother saw her suitcases. Bella kept on a straight face, keeping eye contact with Renee. "Where are you going, Bella?"

"Forks." She responded in an icy tone, walking past her mother and back to her suitcase, where she continued folding clothes and setting them into her bag. Renee stood frozen in her tracks, then finally, found the words and the courage to move.

"_Forks_?" She spat as if it were some unheard of word. Bella looked back to her mother nodding her head.

"Forks." She finalized, turning her attention back to her bag, she began setting jeans inside. Renee glanced around the room trying to find inspiration to say something – anything. She just couldn't find the words. She walked over to Bella, kneeling down next to her, her hand gently crossed Bella's shoulder.

"Honey, I know you're upset with Phil and I but…" Renee paused as Bella turned her head quickly, her eyes narrowing at her mother as if she had never seen the woman before in her life.

"What makes you think that this is about you and Phil?" Bella asked, standing up to glare down at her mother. "Yes, I'll admit that you pushed me to this point, but you just don't get it."

"Tell me. Explain to me." Renee muttered calmly, knowing her daughter was becoming irritated. "Why all of the sudden do you want to go to _Forks_?"

"Jesus Christ, Mother! Stop saying it like it's some kind of disease!" Bella yelled, throwing her hands up in the air. "This…" Bella began, waving her hands up and down in front of Renee's attire – the Gucci pants and Armani shirt, and who could miss the pearl necklace? "…Is not me. This…" Bella threw her hands up and down in front of herself indicating her plaid shirt and scuffed jeans, "…Is me. Those banquets and balls you make me go to? Those dinners at the Senator's house, and the endless dates with Trevor you set me up on… That _isn't_ me. It has _never_ been me, and I _never_ want it to be me."

"What are you trying to say? You're trying to spite me because I've given you what you've deserved? A roof over your head, clothes on your back, food on your table?" Renee was getting angry – fuming with the lack of respect her daughter was giving her.

"You mean this apartment I paid for myself, these clothes _I_ shopped for with _my_ money, and the food I eat in my house?" Bella fought back.

"You know what I mean! When you were living with us!" Renee squabbled and turned around, not being unable to face her daughter.

"Even then it wasn't you! The house belongs to Phil, your personal shoppers bought me the clothes, and Maggie is the one who fed me." Bella sneered "The only time when you've given me all three of those things yourself was when we lived in the apartment, right after you left Charlie. When it was just you and I!"

"Is this about Phil? Are you trying to tell me something? Because if I recall, several years ago when we moved in and he gave you Adara as a gift you were pretty pleased with him." Renee shot back, now turning around to face her daughter once more.

"Adara was the best thing that has happened to me. I am grateful for her, and you, and Phil, and everything you did. There is a reason that the moment I hit eighteen I was out of there." Bella cried, stepping towards her mother, who still didn't understand. "That lifestyle you forced me into wasn't who I am." She began and Renee stayed silent. "This isn't about you or Phil, or what the two of you are doing to Adara. Though that adds to it, it isn't the real cause. I need to get out of here mom. Even in my own apartment I feel suffocated by you and this lifestyle."

"Is it so bad to have money?" Renee asked softly, looking up to her daughter. Bella reflected the emotion; Renee could see herself in her child. She wanted to smile, but in spite of what's going on, she thought differently.

"Money doesn't buy happiness." Bella sighed, turning back around to her suitcase. She leaned on the floor and zipped it up, the sound causing Renee to flinch. Bella picked up her suitcase, holding it in her hand as she looked back to her mother. "Promise me one thing while I'm gone." She began; Renee didn't interrupt as Bella continued. "I'll only be gone for a few weeks. Can you promise – no, swear to me that you'll leave Adara while I'm away? Don't put her in any practices until I'm home. Please. I'm begging you."

Renee could sense her daughter's distress, and it was the least she could do for her. She couldn't change her mind on going to Forks, but, she knew that eventually Bella would miss Adara and hopefully her own mother and come home back to them. Renee nodded slowly, watching as Bella walked to her coffee table, gripping a slip of paper.

"You're going to take security though." Renee pointed out, Bella sighed, shaking her head. "You have to, Isabella! You're too valuable, maybe you as a person don't feel that way, but other people think you are. Something could happen."

"Mother, its Forks." Bella pointed out. "I'll be fine." Bella began walking back towards her mother, dropping her suitcase just before gripping Renee into a tight hug.

"This isn't about you mom. I just need to… Take a breather. I'll be back though – I promise." Bella whispered into her mother's ear, who only felt the tears springing in her eyes.

Later that evening Bella had Adara by her reins, clicking her tongue for her to follow her as they went towards the open field. The sun was setting as they reached the top of the hill, and the two of them stood together, Bella watched the sun as one arm slid across Adara's large black neck. "You'll be okay." Bella promised her, stroking her mane as she leaned her head into her cheek. "Renee promised to have everyone leave you alone while I'm gone."

The horse stomped her feet, and Bella smiled gripping the reins tighter as. Bell she moved to stand in front of her, grabbing her muzzle gently as she set her forehead between the space of Adara's eyes. "I love you. Don't you forget it, and don't forget me." She whispered and the horse snorted as if she were laughing at Bella. "That's my girl." Bella murmured, reaching into her pocket for some treats and holding them in her flat palm for Adara to have. Bella laughed at Adara's wet lips slobbering her hand, and she quickly wiped it off onto her jeans just before giving her one kiss on her neck and climbing herself onto the saddle for one last ride before she left.

Xx

After Bella said goodbye to Maggie, Phil and her mother once again, Garrett drove her to the airport. There were very few cameras flashing in her face, and she was grateful for that – pushing through them with Garrett at her side. Once they reached security Garrett asked her if she was sure she wanted to go without him. She assured him it was the only way she could leave – she didn't want any of her home life following her.

The ride was unfortunately slow for Bella, but, for the first time in years she had sat back in coach. She was stuck in-between the window and a snoring man, who fell against her several times just before she elbowed him back up. Bella curled herself against the wall, staring out the window to ignore the constant stares from people around her – it wasn't like she was a celebrity, but, they knew her from the newspaper and the news on TV. Now, her stepfather was a celebrity – she was just the person who stole glances, no one actually came up to her.

Bella wondered what Charlie would say when she ended up on her doorstep. She hadn't called or sent him a message – she decided just to show up. It may have been odd, but the last time they talked was Bella's eighteenth birthday; which was four years ago just as she was starting College. She didn't know if he was going to turn her away, or allow her in. She just figured it would be easier for her to just show up because Charlie can't just turn her away when she's standing on the front porch. The thoughts left her as they began to land.

Getting out of the Sea-Tac airport was a different story. There were camera's everywhere, flashing around and in her face and Bella almost regretted not bringing Garrett along. Thankfully security there was helping her pile through them and once she reached the cab, Bella realized she had been holding her breath the entire time. She inhaled quickly, letting it out as she began to shake. It had never been that bad before. How did they even know she was going to be there? Word travels fast.

Bella muttered Charlie's address to the cab driver and he nodded his head just before saying, "Aren't you the Bella Swan girl? You know… The stepdaughter of that oil tycoon in Arizona?"

Bella glanced out her window and shook her, "Nope." She breathed.

Three hours or so later, Bella handed the cab driver his money as he pulled up to Charlie's. The cab noticed the mailbox that said: _Swan_ on the side, but he knew better than to tell her that he knew that it was her. After all, her face is all over newsstands and the TV from her arrival.

Bella muttered her thanks before grabbing her suitcase and stopped outside the old gate as she looked at her childhood home. She smiled briefly as she could see her eight year old self playing with her trucks in the driveway. She giggled at the memory, then finally opened the gate as she began up the gravel, noticing the police cruiser in the driveway.

Bella jumped up onto the steps and took in a deep breath as she heard a voice on the other side. She gulped as her finger grazed the doorbell and it went off. She began feeling her legs quivers in her jeans. She heard Charlie yelling at the TV, she wondered if he heard it in the first place. She turned to the side, looking at the road and waiting. Bella's eyes narrowed on a nineteen-ninety six Jeep Cherokee with tinted windows. What old Jeep has tinted black windows? Bella shook her head and looked back to the door, sighing as she pressed the doorbell once again and heard Charlie yelling.

Before she knew it the door flew open and the two were staring at each other like they were meeting for the first time.

Xx

Bella gazed around the house as she stepped in with her suitcase, holding it close to her for comfort. Not expecting the company, Charlie nervously glanced around the house, grabbing trash that was in reach and shoving it in their rightful places. "I didn't…" Charlie began, but stopped when there was a crack in his throat, "I didn't expect you to come here, Bells."

Bella moved more forward, feeling the barrier around her come down as she went deeper into the house; she began recognizing things – like the duck clock hanging on the wall above the TV. Every hour the duck would let out a low quack, Bella remembered, as a little girl giggling non-stop at the sound. She noticed the guns on the wall, always veering away from it even in her teens when she would visit. Charlie's words finally processed in her mind and she looked back to her father; who dusted off the coffee table with his hand.

"I know it's sudden." She shrugged, pressing her lips together as she contemplated setting her bag down, but she didn't know if she was completely welcomed here yet. "I should have called, but, I thought you wouldn't want me to stay."

Charlie seemed taken aback at her comment – he knew they lost contact after she turned eighteen, but that certainly wasn't something that made him not want to see her. "Bells, you know you're always welcome here." Bella couldn't help but let the corners of her lips slide up, and Charlie reflected it awkwardly. "I just wish I got a heads up." He said cutting in the odd silence, "I would have cleaned up around here."

"No, it's okay." Bella smiled, dropping her bags and widening her arms around herself, she glanced around the house once again. "I don't mind." She shook her head and stepped closer to her father who still stood in shock that she was here – she wanted to give him a hug, but thought differently. His stance and wide eyes made her realize that any father-daughter moments would have to wait until later.

"I saw all the newspapers and what not. You were on TV too." Charlie said, Bella groaned, nodding her head as she crossed her arms over her chest. "I thought you were just coming for business, or something." He shrugged and Bella let out a soft breath that sounded like a slow laugh and a sigh. "But, I'm guessing that is not the case."

"I tried to keep it under wraps. I kind of wanted it to be a surprise." She told him, running her fingers through her hair. _How the hell did people find out?_ The thought rattled in Bella's brain from the moment she stepped out of the airport surrounded by cameras. She thought maybe she should have brought some protection with her – Garrett could have helped with the cameras, but that was exactly the reason why she came here in the first place. She wanted to escape being confined by Garrett and her mother; she could live with the cameras at the airport. At least they didn't follow her home to Charlie's, which would have been hell.

"_Trust me_, it's a surprise." Charlie awkwardly laughed and Bella smiled, glancing over the living room once again, taking in a deep breath as she relished in the memories that were flooding through her mind. "You want me to take your bag upstairs?" He asked, and Bella quickly shook her head.

"No, it's okay I got it." Bella told him, gripping her suitcase as she took a step to Charlie. She reached him within seconds, wrapping her arms around his middle. Charlie was taken aback and slowly put his arms around his daughter, once the awkwardness began to calm, both Charlie and Bella smiled.

Once Bella pulled away she told Charlie she was going to put her stuff upstairs, he nodded his approval and went back to his game. Bella shuffled up the creaking stairs, glancing around at the pictures that hung on the walls. They were pictures of her when she younger in school, all the way from kindergarten to her senior year in High School. As she reached the top of the stairs she stopped, wondering if he had changed her room. Of course he must have, it's been four years since they've last seen each other. He had to have done _something _to her room.

Bella touched the cold doorknob and twisted it, her eyes closed until she heard the door open all the way. One eye opened and she gasped at the sight – it was the exact same way it had been since she last saw it. Her walls were still green, her bed still purple and small lights decorating the walls. Her desk and chair were neatly at the side where her very ancient computer sat complied with dust. Bella moved forward into her bedroom, smiling at the picture near her bed of her and her friend Angela. Beads trailed down in front of her window to the ground where the setting sun leaked into her bedroom. She sighed contently, looking over her room once again.

_This is what it's like to be normal again. _

Bella smiled at the thought and then began unpacking, setting things in her drawers because if she was allowed – she'd be staying here for a long time.

Xx

"Damn, Masen. What's got you in a rush?" Caius barked as Edward stalked past him with a sly smile on his face, something long clutched in his hand as he stomped down the hallway towards the large door. He knocked twice before letting himself in.

Aro was on the phone, holding his finger up to Edward who stopped and waited, his foot tapping in anticipation. He wouldn't dare look down at the paper in his hand; it only would entice him more. Finally – but not soon enough, Aro had hung up the phone and turned his attention towards Edward, "What can I do for you?" Edward slapped down the newspaper in front of him so hard that Aro's long black hair flew back. "What is this?" Aro asked as Edward's hands curled around the edge of the desk as he smirked, watching as Aro picked up the paper and began reading through the text. "Is this supposed to mean something to me?" His feathery voice became louder and Edward groaned annoyingly, gripping the newspaper from Aro.

"Phil Dwyer, you know who that is." Edward told him, and Aro shot him a disapproving look. Of course Aro knew who Phil Dwyer is. It is the only man who Aro wasn't able to successfully steal from – the memory of Aro nearly being caught because of Phil Dwyer's very successful security angered him. Everyone in the Volturi knew _not_ to bring up Phil Dwyer to him, but here Edward was breeching the topic as if they were talking about the weather.

"Edward, you know how I feel about this man. How dare you come in here and preach about him to me, of all people." Aro was angry, but Edward knew the back story with Aro and Phil and this was just too good of an offer for Aro to just pass up.

"Read in-between the lines, Aro. This is your way to finally get what you want!" The excitement in Edward's voice was palpable, but Aro was still not getting the hint. "You told us the story of Dwyer, how when he was living here in Seattle he caught you doing the crime and let you off with a warning. It ate at you, Aro. You're still bitter about it." Edward was testing him, seeing how angry he could truly get. The wood under Aro's nails was breaking and a smug smile appeared on Edward's face. "This is your chance to get back at him."

"And how do you purpose we do this, Mr. Masen?" Aro asked, and Edward twitched at the sound of his last name. It was his surrogate name – and he only went by Masen when he was here with the Volturi. Edward may be doing an idiotic thing by being involved with the Volturi, but, he wasn't stupid. There was always a possibility in the future that the inventible would happen, and somehow these people could turn on him. They couldn't find him by Masen, even his birth certificate was changed to Cullen. _Better safe than sorry_.

"She's been here for two weeks now. Surely the stepdaughter of a _billionaire_ oil tycoon would have to come with _some kind_ of security." Edward stopped, watching Aro's reaction who only sat there, glancing from him to the paper.

"That would be the logical thing to do." Aro finally breathed.

"I've been watching her before I decided to come to you with this plan, making sure we could actually do this." Edward's face couldn't help but smolder into a devious smirk as he stood before Aro. "As it turns out, she came with no security at all."

"None?" Aro asked; surprised.

"Zero." Edward smirked, walking behind Aro as he stared down at the picture. "This could be your one chance to get back at Dwyer. I know you resent the fact that he caught you, and that it eats at you everyday. This is your one opportunity, your last shot." Aro looked over to Edward, wondering why he was so eager to do this. To Edward, this wasn't for Aro. This was for himself. He had robbed houses, jewelry stores and even banks. The rush of them was almost too much for him to handle – it helped him replace the drug he had been hooked on only months ago. But kidnapping for ransom? This would be the ultimate high; this would kick everything off the scales. They both looked down to the picture of girl, mesmerizing her face.

"She's the perfect target." Edward whispered as he watched Aro's fingers gently skim over the photograph, looking at the girl who he couldn't not agreed was the perfect crime.

Xx

It had been two weeks since Bella's arrival at Forks, Washington. And it was like the past four years didn't even matter – Bella and Charlie were acting once again like daughter and father. Bella would cook him dinner, and the two would watch the latest game on the TV. Bella wasn't into sports, but, she never got to do this at home. She couldn't even remember the last time she just laid around and watched TV. Once the Yankees went around to a home run, both Bella and Charlie yelled in victory – though Bella really had no idea what was going on.

Bella nearly dropped her plate on the ground, and both of them laughed in unison as she caught it. Charlie smiled widely at his daughter, taking in a deep breath as they both sat down. It was good to have her home, Charlie thought. He wondered if he was ever going to see her again, and at first when she showed up he really didn't know what to make of it. At least he knew she wasn't coming to him for money – he barely had any of that, which only made her arrival much more sincere.

"Hey. I have a present for you." Charlie said as the game turned into commercials. Bella, who was curled on the couch, turned to Charlie as a slow smile appeared on her face.

"Dad, you didn't have to get me anything." She laughed, feeling now uncomfortable that he had bought her something and she came in empty handed.

"I didn't." He said, and Bella's face contorted into confusion. "Come on." He encouraged as he stood up. Bella slowly came up from the couch, setting the plate down onto the coffee table as she walked behind Charlie. Before he opened the door, he turned to her and gripped the doorknob. "Close your eyes." He said and Bella did as she was told. He gripped her hand to help her from falling down the stairs. She could tell they stopped at the driveway when she no longer felt stone under her shoes and felt gravel. "Okay, open your eyes." He said.

Bella slowly opened her eyes to see the last thing she had expected to see; it was her old red truck. Bella's mouth dropped and her eyes widen as she looked at her past car, laughing as she ran to it, opening the door to see exactly what was there before. The pine scented air freshener around the rearview mirror, the rubber duck glued to the dash board and her old CD's lying on the floor.

"Oh my god!" Bella squealed, giggling like a little girl. She jumped out of the car and into her father's arms; she then looked back to it. "I can't believe you kept it! After all this time?"

"Yup." He only said, and Bella smiled widely, looking back to her father who leaned against the bed of the truck.

"Thank you, Dad. This means a lot to me." She told him, and Charlie only smiled at his daughter's gratitude.

Later that day, Bella was getting ready in her room to go out with her childhood friend; Bree Tanner. The two were best friends when her mom still lived here, and continued to be friends as Bella visited. But, like Charlie she lost contact with Bree after she turned eighteen. Bella brushed through her hair and slipped on a long sleeve gray sweater as well as her skinny jeans. She pulled on her converses and headed downstairs, pulling out Charlie's pot roast and potatoes from the oven.

"Dad! Dinner!" Bella yelled through the house, and it took Charlie only two seconds to get into the room as Bella was cutting the meat.

"Mm, smells good Bells." He said, grabbing forks and knives. "Wait…" He began, looking down at her attire. "Are you going out?"

"I told you, I'm going to Carver's Café with Bree." Bella laughed, putting a piece of roast onto his plate. "I'll be home later tonight."

"Well, the Yankee's game is on tonight." Charlie sighed, as he rubbed his chin. Bella smiled, she nodded, skimming potatoes and carrots onto his plate.

"I know. I'll catch the sports highlights later." She lied. "I'll just be gone for a little while." She shrugged and leaned forward to press a kiss to his cheek. "No later than midnight." She smirked and Charlie laughed, shaking his head.

"Stay out as late as you want. You're not a kid." He told her as he began cutting the roast with his knife. Bella smiled softly, she walked around the counter and back towards him as she hugged his side.

"I'll be back soon." She told him just before grabbing her bag from the table as she headed out the door just before yelling, "Love you!"

Charlie replied back softly as he sat at the table alone.

Xx

Bella stepped into Carver's Café around eight, relishing in the memories that came floating back. She glanced around for Bree, noting that she might look different than last time she saw her, but even so none of these people looked remotely close to Bree. Bella sat down at a table, setting her bag down. She reached in her bag, looking for her cell phone but pulling out the wrong one. She had two cell phones, because her mom gave her one in case of emergencies or lost her original one. She rolled her eyes, shoving that one back in and pulling out her normal one, she began to text Bree.

**I'm here. Where r u? **

Bella shoved the cell phone into her pocket so she wouldn't have to mess around with confusing the other one with the original one in her bag whilst she waited for her phone to go off. Five minutes had passed and she hadn't received a text.

"Bella?" A voice said behind her, Bella quickly turned around to see her long time friend Bree standing behind her. Bella stood up, noting the change in her friend. She had long brown wavy hair instead of short, she was skinnier now and she wore less makeup then she did in high school.

"Bree?" Bella asked softly, as if they were connected by thoughts the two of them began squealing, people around them covering their eyes as the girls wrapped each other in hugs. They both exchanged the same words at the same time, _how are you, what's been going on, what are you doing now? _

The girls finally settled down and sat at the coffee table. Bella never really got this excited, but, considering she hadn't seen Bree in years – she had every right to yell and squeal. "Oh my god, you look great!" Bree said, laughing as she shook her head in astonishment.

"Me? What about you? You lost weight!" Bella pointed out and Bree smirked, flaunting off her new flat stomach. Bella giggled as the two bought cappuccinos – something they probably didn't need.

As they continued to talk people began rushing in, as if the Café was a light and they were all moths. Bella saw her friends Angela, Mike, and Eric. They all came around and crowded around the small table, the five of them drinking cappuccinos and talking about what they're up to. Surprisingly to Bella's appreciation no one brought up her life back home – surely they must have known, but thought better than to bring it up. Bella felt good about this – she felt at ease knowing that they didn't care about the lifestyle she had back at home or lack thereof.

"So, Bells." Mike began, nudging her shoulder. "You got yourself a boyfriend?"

"Trying to get lucky again, Newton?" Bree sneered from across the table. "Remember last time that happened? You had a drink thrown on you and the girl kicked you in the balls."

"If I remember correctly it was _you_ who threw the drink on me and kicked me in the balls." Mike shouted and the people around them went quiet. Bella laughed under her breath as Bree and Mike began arguing of what went down. Mike claims he was a gentleman to Bree when they went out to the club, but Bree swears on her grandmother's grave that he was hitting on her, and grabbing her in all the wrong places.

"Enough." Angela finally said, and the two went quiet, sticking their tongues out at each other as if they were still high school teenagers. Bella couldn't help but notice Angela's ring on her engagement finger, it wasn't flashy or big, but small and beautiful, something Angela could pull off.

"Angela, are you engaged?" Bella asked over the table, and Angela couldn't help but smirk as she nodded her head. "Congratulations!"

"Old news." Mike blew out and Bella shot him a dirty look.

"Hey, I haven't been here for years. Cut me some slack." She said as she reached for Angela's hand, looking at the ring more closely. "Who's the lucky guy?"

"Ben." Angela smiled and Bella's eyes widened.

"Ben? As in Ben Cheney? The one you've been dating since freshman year of High School?" Bella laughed and Angela nodded. Bella always knew they were meant to be together, but when do you actually hear a high school relationship lasting?

"Yup. He asked me around Christmas time last year. I didn't expect it at all. And I wasn't really hoping for it, you know? I mean I wanted him to do it, but I was fine with just dating him." Angela said with a shrug. "But when we were walking to class he got down on one knee and asked me. It was more romantic than it sounds. You had to be there." Angela laughed and Bella sat back in her chair. "What about you Bella? Is there a lucky guy?" Angela asked and everyone turned towards her.

Bella hasn't had a boyfriend since her freshman year in College, four years ago. It really didn't work out between the two of them, and after a few months they decided to break it off. Other than that, Bella had been riding solo. She didn't mind – sure, she wished she had a significant other by her side, but, Bella was good at being alone. It was something she was perfected at. "No." Bella said with a shrug as they all looked at her with sad faces, "I'm okay." She laughed and then they all smiled at her, as if they were just doing it for her sake.

Luckily Bree switched the topic to her and her boyfriend Diego, and how she swears to them that he is so close to proposing to her. Bella just smiled and laughed along when it was necessary.

They eventually got on the topic of their jobs, Bella was impressed with everyone. Mike was the manager at a local Sports Barn, Eric was in accounting, Angela was working at the Bank and Bree was an artist. Bella's job at the diner she worked at felt useless, but somebody needed to pay for her College loans, and even though Phil was willing to do it – it was Bella who wanted to be responsible for her own things.

As the evening went along, it was hitting eleven thirty and the Café was closing. Mike and Eric had already left, and Bree, Bella and Angela stood around outside the Café as Bree smoked a cigarette. "You know Bella," Bree began, inhaling a cloud of smoke, "I have a couple of guy friends I could introduce you to."

"No, really. That's okay." Bella laughed, shaking her head. The offer wasn't even the least bit intriguing to Bella. She loved Bree – but she knew who she hung out with in High School, the druggies and the partiers and if her group of friends now were anything like they were back in high school – Bella would pass.

"Alright, your loss." She smirked, shrugging her shoulders; she threw her cigarette butt to the side.

"Well girls, I have to be heading off. I keep getting texts from Ben asking when I'm coming home." Angela shrugged as she pulled her coat tighter to her, turning to Bella. "It was really nice seeing you."

"You too, Ang." Bella said as they wrapped each other in a hug.

"Don't be such a stranger, alright?" Angela whispered and Bella nodded, holding tighter onto her friend. "And call me before you leave so I can see you."

"I will." Bella promised. Angela pulled away and gave Bree a hug before walking back to her car.

Bree and Bella stared at each other for a moment. Bella moved her shoe around the ground, just the two stood in silence until Bree broke it. "Your going to come back, right? You're not just going to fall off the face of the earth again?"

"No." Bella smiled. "I like it here too much. I'm even considering moving out here when I'm done with College."

"Your mom will kill you." Bree said and the both of them laughed in agreement. It went silent again and Bree crossed her arms over her chest. "It was really nice to see you, Bella. I've missed you. A lot."

Bella looked up to Bree, and tears almost sprung in her eyes. "I've missed you too. And I promise I won't stay away for long. I'll come back." Bella nodded as she stepped closer to her friend and wrapped her in a hug. Bella understood her distance – four years ago they were best friends and suddenly, Bella just stopped calling and texting. She would never do that again – ever.

"I have to go. Charlie is going to wonder where I am." Bella whispered, pulling away from Bree with a smile.

"How's the old man doing?" Bree asked.

"Good, he's good." Bella smiled, watching as Bree pulled out another cigarette. "I'll see you again before I leave, alright? I promise."

"You better, Swan." Bree smiled, pulling herself in for one last hug before the two finally went their separate ways. "Call me!" Bree yelled, before lighting the cigarette and Bella turned back to her, raising a thumbs up just before getting into the truck.

The ride home was silent due to her radio being dead. She set the side of her head against the palm of her hand, smiling at the fact that she had just reconnected with everyone she had lost in touch with. Suddenly the cell phone in her pocket began to vibrate, Bella jumped, quickly pulling it out to setting it to her ear. "Hello?"

"Hey, Bells. It's me." Charlie said on the other line. "There's a storm coming in really fast. I just wanna make sure if you're on your way home." His voice sounded distressed, Bella looked up to the dark sky, seeing gray and black clouds coming in near the moon and directly towards her.

"I'm about fifteen minutes away. If the rain gets too heavy, I'll pull over and wait it out." Bella promised him, she could hear his sigh.

"Alright. Just be careful, please." He muttered and Bella smirked at her over-protective father.

"Yes, sir. I'll see you in a few." Bella promised and clicked her phone shut after her and Charlie said goodbye. She shoved her phone back into her pocket and tapped her fingers along the steering wheel as the thunder began to come in, the rain dripping softly against her window. And then out of nowhere, the rain was pouring and Bella could barely see anything in front of her. She had her lights on, trying to weave through the rain as best as she could. She should pull over – she even thought about it numerous of times; but she thought she was getting closer to home.

Suddenly something dark flashed across the road, Bella could barely make out the figure standing between the white lines in the rain. Bella cried out in shock, slamming on her breaks as the car screeched to find some kind of slowness in the rain but it forced the car to slide. The truck made two complete three sixties; Bella gripped the steering wheel as if her life depended on it. Tears were streaming down her face, eyes closed tightly as the truck slid against and off of the road, she could hear branches and rocks being crushed under the tires as the truck continued in its assault down the hill. A gasp escaped from her lips as she felt the truck begin to tilt as if it were going to roll, but something caught it, she heard and felt glass shattering just as the car stopped.

_Am I dead? _

Bella opened one eye as she began to look around, her body feeling as if it were dangling sideways. She felt something dripping down her forehead and quickly wiped it. She looked down to see blood staining her fingers. She looked to the side of her; the passenger window was shattered with branches sticking through, which is when she realized a tree had stopped the truck from rolling. With shaky hands she reached for her seat belt, she clicked the lock and pulled it off. She had to brace herself from falling down; wrapping her arm around the steering wheel as she tried to jiggle the door open

It was jammed.

She tilted herself at an angle where she felt gravity pushing down on her body; she ignored it and lifted her leg, kicking the door wide open. Bella gripped the steering wheel harder, pulling herself up and out of the truck. The truck was tilted at an angle against the tree so there was at least a six foot drop straight to the ground. Bella braced her arms behind her as she swung herself to the floor, her legs feeling like mush as she hit the grass. Falling down onto her knees, she groaned softly, looking back to see the whole underneath side of her truck facing her.

She glanced back in front of her, wiping her brow with the long sleeves of her shirt. The gray color was painted with red and Bella wondered where she was bleeding. She felt around, finally stopping at a small gash right under her hairline on her forehead, she began to add pressure to it stop the bleeding.

Bella tried to remember what had run out in front of her. A deer? No, it was too tall to be a deer. A person? Bella shuddered at the thought; quickly she looked towards the road which was surprisingly at least forty feet away from her. She didn't realize her car slid all that way, it all happened so fast. Her thought was replaced with something moving on the ground.

She could see a pale hand moving but the body stayed still.

Bella covered her mouth quickly as she stood up and began running with a limped leg towards the body that was face down on the ground. "Oh my god, are you okay?"

"I'm so sorry! I didn't even see you! Are you alright?" Bella screamed as she became closer to the body, finally dropping beside it. The person didn't move. Bella scanned whoever it was for any injury or signs of it, realizing there was none on this side. She grabbed their shoulder and began to turn them over, scooting back to make room. Once she had turned the person over, Bella noticed they were wearing a ski mask; the only visible part of them was their closed eyes.

"Sir?" Bella asked, only assuming it was man due to them being largely built. Bella poked the man, feeling the tears stream down her face. Her shaky hands began towards his face as she gripped the end of the ski mask, beginning to roll it up. Then, the eyes opened and she was embraced with an unforgettable emerald color.

She gasped in surprise, feeling the man gripping her wrist to stop her from taking off the mask. Then – out of nowhere, everything went black and Bella was gasping for air. She felt around her head at the bag that covered it, and tried to peel it off but someone had restricted her hands from moving around to touch anything.

She began screaming, feeling her body being dragged across the dirty ground. Hands gripped her trashing legs, hoisting her up and carrying her as she pleaded for whoever this was to stop. Bella cried and yelled for someone to hear her. Feeling her heart race as she tried to gather her thoughts together. The lack of air began rushing to her brain.

This time, everything really did go black.

Xx

Brown eyes began to blink open, and the young girl could feel the blood pulsing around in her head, pumping and shooting causing a huge headache. Bella moaned loudly, feeling something soft under her. Her hand rose up to her forehead where she should feel dry blood, her lips pursing as she tasted something like – iron.

_What happened? _

When her eyes were fully open, things began to spin, nothing was clear – like that would even matter; wherever she was it was nearly pitch black, besides the small light in the corner. Bella tried to calm herself, trying to get her racing heart to slow down as she pressed her hand to her chest. It wouldn't help anything if she began to have a panic attack; she needed to remember what happened. She held her eyes shut, trying to remember how she got here. Suddenly, her eyes flew open and it all came back. The body in the road, her car sliding, someone putting something over her head, and her passing out from the lack of air – it was all coming back now.

Tears began to pool over her eyelids as her body began to shake. She glanced around the empty room again, no stream of light coming in, which meant no window. Bella looked to the small lamp in the corner and began crawling for it. Her legs weak, her lips chapped as tears fell over them, wetting them momentarily before wiping the tears with her sleeve. She reached for the lamp, and grabbed it to feel for the cord behind it. She could feel that it was long enough for her to bring it closer. She ripped off the shade so the small bulb could light more of the room.

Bella nearly dropped the lamp as she took in her surroundings.

She was completely surrounded by stone walls, cracks and creases in them as one door stood across from her. It was long and metal, the end of it scratched up by God knows what. She did see a window on the door, just a few feet from the knob. She slowly began to get up, her legs feeling heavy and weak. Groaning she dropped to the ground, now dragging herself to the door as she cried helplessly. Once reached, Bella lifted her hand to the doorknob, jiggling it as an attempt to get it to open. When it wouldn't, she found her strength and slowly lifted herself from the floor, steadying her body, she leaned against the door. She tried to look through the window, but it was spray painted black.

"Help…" She called out weakly, her palms staying flat against the surface as the dryness of her throat began to clear up, she began yelling louder. "Help! Somebody help me!" She cried, her palms now hitting the door, the metal rattling and booming, echoing down the hallways. "Someone please! Please help me!" Bella continued to thrash about, continuously pounding against the door and screaming for anyone on the other side to hear her.

Just as her throat began to burn from her constant cries, footsteps on the other side were audible. Bella's heart leapt in anticipation as she began hitting the door more, "Hello? Please! Help me! I'm locked in!" She yelped and the footsteps stopped, along with Bella. Slowly she leaned her head against the door, her ear pressed right against it as she strained to listen to what was happening.

Bella gasped at the sounds of locks undoing, she knew whoever was on the other side couldn't be good – if they were unlocking it that meant they locked it in the first place. Bella stepped backwards, tumbling over something as she landed her bottom making an 'unfit' sound. The door slowly began to open and Bella watched as a man walked into the room.

The same man who was lying on the ground after the crash.

The first thing she noticed and recognized was the ski mask.

The second were those green blazing eyes – glaring right into her brown ones.

**

* * *

**

**Authors Note: I promise, next chapter things will get interesting. You can't expect there to be some kind of background information. I had to do it so you guys could get a feel of both Edward and Bella's stories.**

**Alright, please review. It would make me so frickin' happy : )**

**xoxo**

**- Shelby**


	5. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:**

**Oh hey guys.**

**I'm gonna keep this short, and just say this one was a joy to write. I know a good 50% is from Charlie, but you've got to read that too because it's very important.**

**Thanks to my Beta Lauren. She's doing an excellent job thus far, let's all give her a round of applause shall we?**

**And thanks to Johnnyboy7 (Author of one of my FAVORITE fanfics "There Will be Blood" (go read it! Now!)) but he pimped out my story and I must say I got a signifigant amount of new readers.**

**So thank you to him : )**

**And of course to you guys for reading this now! Love ya, you silly bitches. **

**Alright, I will no longer keep you waiting. Go read. I know you want to.**

**

* * *

**

Chapter 4

Charlie stepped around his living room, the fingers of his one hand gently massaging his chin as he held the cord phone in his other, the wire tangling around his arm. Thunder was quiet outside; the storm was passing over Forks and towards Seattle. Charlie paced back and fourth, debating if he should call Bella again.

_She's twenty two years old. She knows how to take care of herself. Stop babying her. _

He had already called her four times. Only once did he actually speak with her and she promised she would pull over if the rain got too heavy. That was nearly two hours ago –now, he couldn't get a hold of her. Thoughts were racing through his head. Did lightening strike the truck? Did the car slide off road and into a ditch? Charlie shook his head quickly, trying to get the thoughts out of his mind. He looked back down at the phone swallowing his doubts, calling her once again.

"Hey, It's Bella," The voicemail began, "You know what to do!" Her voice stopped and the beep rang in his ears.

"Bells… It's almost two in the morning. I'm starting to get worried. The rain has let up a little bit; I figured you'd be back now. Call me." Charlie reluctantly put down the phone down on the receiver, still holding it in his hand.

_She's a smart girl. She's fine. I'm sure. _

Charlie put down the phone on the coffee table, sitting himself down behind it on the old couch; he timidly watched the reruns of the Yankees game.

Xx

_Buzz. Buzz. Buzz. Buzz. _

Charlie shot straight up, groaning at the sunlight that was shining right in his eyes threw the curtains. He covered his face, glancing down at his jeans as his fingers moved up to his hair, clutching it gently as he tried to remember what happened. He looked down at the couch and then at the TV, that was talking softly about the highlights of the latest baseball game. Charlie realized he had fallen asleep downstairs; it took awhile for the motors in his head to turn.

_Buzz. Buzz. Buzz. Buzz. _

He turned to the phone that was sitting in front of him on the Coffee table, staring at it as if it were from another world. And then he remembered – _Bella_! Charlie shot himself at the phone, lifting it up and setting it to his ear. "Bella! Bella? Is that you?" He spoke into the phone frantically.

"Chief?" A gravelly voice said on the other line and Charlie sighed. _Maybe I missed her call last night. I'll have to check the voicemail._

"Sam." Charlie breathed, his right hand running over his face feeling the morning stubble. Charlie leaned back on the couch, glancing down at his watch. "It's eight in the morning. Why are you calling me?"

"Chief…" Sam began, and Charlie could hear his definite gulp. "Your daughter, Bella? She drives a Fifty-three Chevy, right?" He asked nervously and Charlie tried to remember the year, and realized that he was correct.

"Yes. Why?" He asked, his brain still not fully processing what was going on.

"Sir…" Sam stopped; Charlie could hear people in the background. He was becoming agitated at Sam's sudden silence, Sam stayed on the other line – not knowing how to explain what happened to his boss.

"Come on! Out with it boy! I don't have all day!" Charlie growled angrily, standing up as he clutched the phone so hard, at one point he heard a crack.

"I think you need to come see for yourself." Sam said, Charlie's heart dropped. _Something happened to Bella_. Once Sam gave him the coordinates, Charlie bolted to the cruiser, not even minding to put on his uniform.

It was only a fifteen mile drive to the destination, when the cruiser reached the side of the road, he saw Sam standing next to his own cruiser. Other Police car's surrounded them, as well as an ambulance, even a Mercedes, Charlie cringed well aware that that was the FBI's car, but there was no sign of the truck. "Sam!" Charlie yelled out, jogging to Sam as he glanced around, trying to find the red truck. "Where is she? What happened?"

Sam stood from the car, wiping his brow as he tried to find the words to tell him. "Some old couple was driving to their daughter's house around five AM; the wife in the passenger side saw a car out in the woods…. Angled against a tree." He finished, and Charlie's eyes darted towards the woods. He saw the underbelly of the truck, a big red V painted on it, the paint dripping slowly down, and his heart crashed to the ground.

"Bella!" Charlie shouted and ran past the other officers and towards the truck where the FBI we're taking prints, "Bella!" He yelled again, ignoring Sam who called his name and ran after him. Charlie reached the car, climbing up the side and pushing branches and weeds out of his way as he looked down at the open door. Glass was shattered and the rubber duck that had once been glued on her dashboard was now sliced open hanging from a branch.

"Chief! Chief! She's not there!" Sam yelled, and Charlie glanced around, seeing if his daughter was sitting on the side, wrapped in a towel and waiting for him, waiting for him to take her home. "Chief!" Sam breathed, trying to catch his breath. Charlie finally glanced down at him, jumping off the side of the car.

"Where is she, Sam? _Where_ is my daughter?" Charlie yelled, gripping his shoulders roughly.

"I…Don't…Know." Sam finally said, "The couple said no one was in the car. She wasn't in there." Sam repeated it all again, and Charlie pushed him out of the way. He gripped his forehead, trying to think of something to do, trying to think of where she could possibly be. People came around to tend to him, but he pushed them off and headed back to his cruiser.

Xx

"Am I in trouble?" Bree Tanner sat at one end of the table in the interrogation room in forks police station. "What's this about?" Bree asked the man standing in front of her. The door opened to the side of them, and Bree finally recognized a face. "Charlie! Charlie? What's going on?"

"Bree…" Chief Swan began, pushing the man out of the chair as he sat in front of her. He set down a folder and a mug of coffee, sipping on it gently before shifting the yellow folder open. "Where we're you around Midnight last night?"

Bree looked at Charlie confusingly, wondering what had happened that made _him_ interrogate _her_ of all people. He was like a second father to her, and here he was treating her as if she was some kind of criminal. She kept her negative comments to herself and just answered his question. "On my way home from Carver's Café."

"When was the last time you talk to Bella?" Charlie asked quickly.

"What's happened, Charlie? Is Bella okay?" Her voice raised an octave as she shifted uncomfortably in her chair.

"My daughter has gone missing." He had a strain in his voice. Bree felt something in her throat rising, she almost became sick. _But I was just with her last night_. Bree thought as she looked around the room, trying to find some inspiration to speak but she just, couldn't. "I need to know what Bella said to you, if she told you anything about running away." Charlie's voice faltered because he didn't even want to think about his daughter running away. _Was she upset? I didn't see any signs of stress, or depression... _"And if she didn't say anything about running away, then we have to file a missing report."

"She didn't say anything to me…" Bree began, gulping down her heart that seemed to be in her throat, "She seemed happy to be here. She even told me she was thinking about moving back."

Charlie's head snapped up at her words, and in that moment he felt – good? He couldn't believe she said she wanted to move here. He never felt closer to his daughter than he did now– even though physically she was missing. Charlie opened his mouth to speak but a knock on the door disrupted him, both he and Bree turned to the door where Sam slipped in. "Chief, I need you out here." Sam said, Charlie looked back to Bree who had tears streaming down her cheeks. He didn't know how to comfort her, he had never been good with tears, instead, he just nodded his head and stood, excusing himself out.

"What is it?" Charlie asked, closing the door behind him.

"The FBI found something." Sam said, gesturing for Charlie to follow him. They walked through the building, striding into the room where the FBI stood around in all black, the forensic scientists typing their notes into the computer. "We talked to some of the officers down in Seattle and we gathered some information." He began, sitting down at the computer; Charlie leaned down next to him. "Have you ever heard of the Volturi?"

Charlie thought about his question, but the name didn't ring any bells in his mind. He didn't pay attention to the news in Seattle, just like Seattle wouldn't pay attention to the news in Forks. "No." Charlie replied, watching as Sam typed in the computer.

"They're this local gang group in Seattle. They've been popularized over the past year. Robbing homes, banks, and recently Swissa Jewelers. Each felony bigger than the last" Sam continued on, flipping through pictures on different sites.

"Sam, what the hell does this have to do with my daughter?" Charlie finally growled, frustrated that his time was being wasted.

Sam ignored Charlie's tone and continued with his point, "After they have successfully robbed a place, they leave their mark." Sam swallowed hard, switching to the next picture. It was a picture of a wall, and a big red V painting on it. Charlie recognized it instantly from Bella's truck, the large V there almost identical to the one in the picture.

"Are you _sure_ this is their doing?" Charlie asked, feeling his old heart beating erratically.

"We weren't positive. There are a lot of people posing as the Volturi now and days to get media attention. But, then the Seattle department informed us that there was one crucial fact that that wasn't publically known. They leave notes." Sam said.

"Notes?" Charlie glanced down at him.

"Snarky thank you notes. Something along the lines of 'Thank you for allowing us access to your homes and valuables.' They're trying to get a rise out of the people they attack. Almost as if they're rubbing it in their victims faces." Sam reached over for a plastic baggy, holding it up to show Charlie the note from the most recent case.

_Swissa Jewelers, _

_We are tremendously thankful that you allowed us to have your most prized possessions. We promise to take very good care of them. _

_V_

The V was large and known, decorating around and inside was trees and birds. _This was too perfect to be drawn by hand; they must have a stamp or something_. Charlie thought. "Bastards." He breathed reading over their note once again.

"With Bella, we thought that it may be one of her friends playing a prank, but then we just got this about ten minutes ago." Sam reached for another plastic bag and hesitantly handed it to Charlie. Charlie gripped a pair of white gloves and opened the plastic bag, pulling out the note.

_Chief Swan, _

_We are so thrilled that you have allowed us to borrow your daughter. She is absolutely delightful – and very beautiful. If you would like your beloved Isabella back, then we must play a little game. The rules are very simple. _

_We will trade her in exchange for Phil Dwyer's money. If we receive this, you may have your little girl once again. _

_This game will only work if it is Dwyer's money, not yours or anyone else's. So please don't try and pull the strings on this. We will contact you on __our__ terms. All you have to do is get Dwyer._

_Let the fun begin._

_V_

Charlie had the urge to crush the paper in his hands, but knew he couldn't seeing as its evidence and crucial to the case. He huffed lightly, he could feel his eyes water. His poor Bella, kidnapped, by some gang. The sadness in his veins turned to rage, and he threw the note down and twisted around. "I want the paper trails on that letter, and I want to know who and where it came from. Now!"

"Sir, it wasn't sent via mail. It was stuffed under the door." Sam answered nervously, knowing Charlie would be enraged with this – instead Charlie didn't say a word. His hands clutched tightly together, as he tried to control his temper. Everyone was quiet around him, giving him words of encouragement. Sam bravely stood up and softly asked, "What do we do now?"

Charlie paused for a moment, considered then turned to look over his shoulder at his partner. "Get me Phil Dwyer on the phone."

Xx

The green eyes were hard and unmoving; the slight hairs of eyebrows that were visible were furrowed with anger. For the first time in her twenty two years she feared for her life. Bella cowered backwards as the man stepped towards her, eventually she hit the wall, the light still shining, directed itself on the man. Her heart was beating so erratically that she could feel it in her throat, and at a certain point she could have sworn she heard its loud thumps like the pounding of drums. The man stepped closer to her and was standing in a position that looked leonine like he was a predator – ready to fling himself at his prey. She was still – frozen and unmoving, her lips pressed together. She didn't dare to cry – she didn't want him to see her become weak.

"Shut. Up." The man growled, the rumble vibrating off of his chest. Bella was stunned – appalled, and even more she was terrified. _What does he want with me?_ She wanted to say the words out loud, but didn't have the guts to do so. The man turned around and stalked away, breaking something in his path that Bella couldn't see in the darkness. The door slammed shut behind him and she could hear the locks coming together.

Bella hadn't realized she was holding her breath, when her throat contracted and her heart was slowing she gasped for air, trying to find something to hold onto to calm her shaking body. She thought; maybe it was just a nightmare, that maybe she pulled over on the side of the road while it was raining and she fell asleep. Yes – that had to be it. But why was this nightmare so vivid? She never had one that felt this real – it couldn't be a nightmare. While Bella was trying to figure out appearance versus reality, Edward stormed down the long hallway, huffing in irritation.

_She can scream all she wants – no one will hear her. _

The only thing she would accomplish by doing that is irritating Edward's last nerve, which she was already working on. The plan went efficiently well, not exactly how he wanted it to go but that was due to the hard rain that came in at the last moment. _Gotta love Forks_. They were going to slip her two Ambien's to make her sleep on the two hour drive back to Seattle, but she had passed out. She had literally passed out – and the thought made Edward laugh. How could someone be so weak and defenseless? Even a woman for that matter –what was even worse was that she's the daughter of a cop. Edward thought he would have taught her some self defense, and even maybe she had a gun in the glove department of her car.

It was as easy as breathing. It wasn't all he hoped it to be – he at least wanted a challenge, but, didn't even get that. Still – even without her fighting back it was the biggest rush he had ever encountered. When he was lying on the ground pretending she had run him over, his heart was racing from the adrenaline coursing through his veins as he heard her sprinting to him. When he caught her wrist in his hands, the shock and fear on her face was prominent. It only fed into his addiction.

There was something else in there too when he looked at her. Something he wasn't proud of – and swore he wouldn't mention a word about it to anyone. He had seen her picture before, had seen what she looked like, but when her big brown eyes widened in terror he felt a slight twinge of guilt. It was abnormal and nothing like how he usually acts. Sure, she was beautiful – sure, he could stare and watch her for hours, but it was those very thoughts that scared him. He would stay as far away from her as possible.

He jumped up on the stairs, scaling it quickly by skipping each step. He reached the top, shoving the door open and slamming it behind him to lock it. He continued down the other hallway, and then opened a door that trailed down to another hallway, and Edward grumbled to himself.

_Why are there so many fucking hallways?_

He climbed one more staircase before reaching the door at the top, ripping off his mask and throwing it to the side just before grabbing the key around his neck and unlocking the door, busting through it to reveal the strip club Aro owned and where he stashed his secret identity and job in the basement. Edward spotted Marcus and Caius quickly, watching as they threw hundred dollar bills at Irina. Them and the rest of the Volturi were the only ones to touch the girls – if any of the strangers that lurked in for a good time even came close – well Aro was very strict on this rule and whatever hand they touched with would surely be broken.

"Edward!" A voice shouted over the music, Edward turned to see Alec who sat behind the bar, fixing a drink for a man who couldn't keep his eyes off of Tanya who twirled on the poll, her eyes never leaving Edward. He walked towards the bar, pushing the man away who had got his drink. "She up?" Alec asked and Edward glared at him quickly, his lips in a hard line. Alec shut up instantly, and knew his mistake. You never talk about the Volturi with anyone else besides the members. Never. Not even if you're secluded by yourself. Not once.

Edward took his scotch and turned around on the chair, watching the strawberry blonde who he knew would be in his bed tonight. Tanya dipped down low, giving Edward a full view of her backside, and he bit back a groan. Tanya wasn't the sharpest tool in the toolbox, but she was a good lay and has been for the past year.

None of the strippers knew what was behind the one door that was always locked, but that's how Edward and Tanya met. Had he not joined the Volturi, he would have never introduced himself to her. That's where they're affair began. Tanya always whined about wanting more with him, but he would never let her have it. He threatened her that it was either this or nothing at all. Tanya was smart for once and her life and decided to not press the subject.

Edward chugged his scotch, set the glass back down before standing up and heading back towards Aro's office, a place where they could talk about their latest challenge. Edward slipped back in the darkness, finding the unlocked door and grabbing the key around his neck and slipping it into the lock. He closed the door behind him, locking it twice just in case before heading down the staircase. He stalked down the hallway, stopping on the last door on the right, knocking on it four times before he heard Aro's voice.

Edward entered in, seeing Aro rummaging through paper work behind his desk. "Ah, Edward." Aro smiled, looking back down to his paper as Edward walked to the chair in front of the desk, sinking into it as he rubbed his temples. "I see our girl has taken a toll on you."

"She wouldn't shut up." Edward growled. "I think I scared her enough to keep her quiet for the night though." He said in an uneasy tone, because he was sure she would start with her screaming again at some point of the night.

"Well, she is in a very sticky situation. You have to respect her for trying to save her own life. It's instinctual, Edward." Aro shrugged, sliding down onto his leather chair before typing on his computer. Edward slinked up a little bit, rubbing his chin as he set his other hand onto his knee.

"Have we heard anything from them?" He asked in a stiff tone.

"Not yet. It's a small town. I'm sure they have no idea of our existence, so I sent Jane to give them a little inspiration." He smirked cunningly as he leaned back into his leather chair, studying Edward who had bags under his eyes. "Edward, have you been sleeping?"

Edward was surprised by Aro's question. Never has he asked him about his physical health before, and quite frankly it creeped Edward out. He answered the question honestly and shrugged, "Uh – I slept a few hours last night."

"Tsk, Tsk." Aro began, shaking his head. "Edward this is the most intense and crucial thing we have done. One wrong move things can slip from us. You can't work while you're tired. Plus, I'm having you on Swan duty for the nights." Aro said casually, but Edward's eyes nearly bugged out.

"What?" He yelled, feeling the tension in his head building as he shot straight up from the chair which flew back from under him. "What do you mean Swan duty?"

Aro chuckled at Edward's rage, and brought his hands together, smirking widely at him. "Surely you mustn't think that we would leave her here by herself at night, did you?" Aro looked bemused, sitting back in his chair.

Edward stalked around the office, gripping his hair as he shook his head. "No, but I didn't think you'd stick me with the job."

"Edward it was your idea to kidnap her. You may go home tonight, but starting tomorrow your sleeping hours will shift to days and you _will_ watch her during the night, it is only fair. Marcus and Caius will keep an eye on her during the day." Aro said calmly as Edward still paced around the office. If he knew that this kind of baggage would come with the job – he would have never accepted it in the first place. What kind of trouble could this girl get into at night in a locked room? No one could hear her, and she was surrounded by stone walls. "If you have objections to this, please let me know. But mind you, that it's very easy for me to pull the plug on this, and slip the rug from underneath you." He threatened, and Edward glared at him, narrowing his eyes at the black haired man. Instead of fighting like Edward wanted to do, he turned around and excused himself out.

Xx

Bella lay still on the small bed in the corner of the room, shifting slightly as she felt her bladder screaming at her to relieve herself. Her pillow beneath her smelled of dirt and the wool blanket barely covered her whole body. She didn't want to think about what may happen to her – about what they want with her or even worse, what they may do to her. Bella wiped the tears on her face and slipped off the blanket as her feet touched the ground. She stood up and reached for the wall closest to the little light the sat in the floor, and once she reached her palms went straight to the stone wall, reaching around for some kind of light switch.

As she left the light and was engulfed with darkness she finally felt a switch and eagerly turned it on. She heard the buzzing of something above her, and her head tilted up watching as the light slowly came to life, lighting the rest of the room.

And at that moment, Bella wished she hadn't turned on the light at all. Bella's hand cupped her mouth as she felt more tears welling in her eyes. Ironically, when the room was lit up it was more depressing, more isolated. The walls were stone and cracked the bed by her side old and rusted. The door with the marks at the bottom stood in front of her, and slowly she began to turn around.

Directly behind her was another door, and this one was just plain metal. Bella slowly walked towards it, her hand reaching forward towards the doorknob. When she touched it, it was cold but it twisted all the way around and popped open. She slowly pushed it open with her fingertips, watching as a bathroom came into view. It wasn't dirty, but it wasn't a pleasant looking sight either. It was just as depressing as the other room. The shower was tiny; right next to it was the toilet. There wasn't even enough room for a sink. Bella didn't mind though, and closed the door behind her already working her pants down.

Time began to pass, and though Bella couldn't see if it were day or night, she knew it had to have been a day or two since she's seen the sunlight. She remembered it was June sixth the day she was taken, so by now it had to have been June eighth. Bella sat at the edge of her shower, wiping at the tears that dabbed her eyes. She wondered; what Charlie was doing – what Renee was doing? Did they know she was missing? Of course they did, they have to.

Bella cut the thoughts out of her head and slid the door of the shower open and reached inside to turn it on, grabbing the bar of soap as she began scrubbing her hands. The shower in the inside was disgusting, and Bella winced at the brown rust that covered the metal knobs, and the mold that was growing at the top corner of the shower. She shuddered and continued to rinse her hands off, and reached for the torn up towel that hung on the inner knob of the door. Then the thoughts came back and she found herself fighting to not think of everything that was happening – trying not to think what could happen. Distracting herself was the best idea, because she didn't have to think about what was going on. Bella sucked up her tears, trying to be brave for herself because that's all she had.

_If they wanted to kill me – they would have done it by now. _

She repeated the words over and over again as she exited out of the bathroom, wiping at a stray tear. She closed the door, and turned back only to be faced by a black mask. Bella screamed in surprise as whoever it was gripped her shoulder and flung her to the bed. Bella yelled out in pain from the pressure against her arm, feeling the old bed beneath her creak in protest.

The man turned back to her, and she realized it wasn't the green eyed man she had met earlier – this time the eyes were brown and they were more frightening than any other color she had seen. As the man stepped forward towards her, she cringed into her pillow and tried to block out what may happen next. She felt his hand on her arm, but before he could do anymore harm someone cleared their throat. They both looked up to see the green eyed man, standing in a hard protective stance in the doorway. Bella watched as the brown eyed man backed off.

"A wants you in his office." The green eyed man hissed, Bella wondered who A was. "_Now_."

The brown eyed man huffed and walked out, and Bella noticed how much taller and bulker he was than the green eyed man, but apparently green eyes had more power over him. She didn't let the thought wonder too much, and this time she huddled herself in the corner of the bed, wiping at her tears as she began sobbing uncontrollably.

"What do you want with me?" She managed to get out, but the green eyed man didn't switch his stance. He stood still, staring right at her as she continued to cry. She couldn't help it – it was all pouring out of her. The man looked away in either disgust or sympathy – Bella really didn't know. After a few minutes of letting it out, she felt herself snap back into reality.

Edward watched as the girl cried to herself for a solid four minutes. He had to look away – because something inside of him was forcing him to doubt himself; that he couldn't go through with this. He had never done something like this, when she busted into tears he felt guilty and worst of all he felt low. Like someone had hit him right in the gut. But the addiction of the thrill still topped everything else, and when she stopped crying, Edward's face hardened once again.

"Don't you have any kind of self respect?" Edward spat, and he watched as her head shot straight up. "That man who just flung you to the bed was going to do things that not even your nightmares could come up with. And what were you going to do? Sit there and cry? You're pathetic!" He watched as the brown eyes nearly bulged out of her head, her mouth dropping in shock. She couldn't think of the words to say to him, and he enjoyed leaving her speechless. Edward groaned softly, turning around as he gripped his hair even though it was covered with the mask. "You girls are all so predictable now. So fucking whiny and useless."

"Excuse me?" She finally breathed, and Edward looked at her in shock. He wasn't expecting for her to answer him. "I was just kidnapped for Christ sake! You and your little…." She couldn't think of the word as she was flinging her hands around, "…Group just took me away from my family, from my life! So _excuse me_ for being a little upset."

Edward laughed. He actually laughed. And Bella narrowed her eyes at him, shaking her head in disgust. He was entertained by her; she decided to just blow him off as she brought her knees up to her chest, turning her head to the side to not look at him.

"It's called survival of the fittest." He said, reaching over for a chair Bella had not noticed was there before. He sat himself down and brought his hands together. "If you want to survive, you have to kill your way to do it."

"Trust me; I'd like to kill you." She sneered, and Edward smirked at her – though he knew she couldn't see it. Bella went silent, as well as Edward. He leaned back into the chair, realizing that this may actually be entertaining.

_It wasn't like I slept that much during the night anyways. _

Bella situated herself on the bed, bringing the wool blanket to wrap around herself as the stone walls trapped the cold air inside. She wouldn't dare look at him – at the man who had abducted her from everything. It was those very thoughts that brought tears to her eyes. She wiped them quickly, her forehead going to her knees that laid against her chest, and she silently fell asleep – feeling worn out and emotionally disrupted.

Edward watched closely knowing she was drifting to sleep because the muscles in her arms we're relaxing, and he watched as her head instinctively rolled to the side, her brown hair flowing down her opposite arm. He sucked in a deep breath, realizing that he was staring for too long. He stood up from the chair and walked out of the room, trying to get the image of her body curled up asleep out of his head.

Xx

Bella woke up with a sudden jolt, her heart racing as she tried to catch her breath. Her nightmare was scattered – but she knew what had happened in it. She was being slaughtered by a man in a black mask, and the tears we're already forming in her eyes as she thought back to it. She gripped her hair, wanting to scream out the pain, but she knew she couldn't because she'd draw too much attention – and as much as she wanted to sit there and cuss out that man, he had the power and she wasn't suicidal. But when Bella brought her head up, the chair was empty and the man was gone.

She let out a breath of relief and fell on her back onto the bed. Her bones and muscles we're stiff from her awkward position against the wall, but she didn't mind it. She in fact welcomed the pain – it would be something better for her to focus on. Bella rolled over; her back hitting the wall the bed was up against and before she even realized it, the metal bed was scratching across the floor and Bella landed flat on her back. She groaned inwardly, rubbing the back of her head that hit the stone floor. She sat herself up, feeling something digging into her back. She quickly lifted her body up and reached underneath her, grabbing whatever it was that was stabbing her. When she brought it in front of her, her eyes widened and a spark of hope coursed through her body.

_My cellphone!_

It must have fallen from her pocket when she was sleeping, and Bella flipped it open and hit the power button, hoping and praying it would turn on. When the screen lit up, Bella squealed quietly, glancing around once she was silent just to make sure she didn't attract any attention. But then as it was starting up it made a loud power up noise and Bella quickly hid the phone in her shirt, covering it with her arms to quiet the noise but it was too late – she heard footsteps coming down the hallway. She hurried up off the floor and quietly scooted the bed back. She sat herself down, grabbing her cell phone with shaky hands as she heard someone unlocking the many locks on the door. She ripped the battery from the phone and shoved both in her pillow case just before laying down just as the Green eyed man charged in.

Bella watched him carefully, noticing how he stalked towards her, but stopped himself from doing anything rash. "What was that?" He growled, and Bella glanced around – playing dumb as she shrugged. "I heard something. Like a ringer. What was it?" He asked, more sternly, but Bella just shrugged once again. The man gripped weak metal bed frame, scooting it away harshly as Bella went flying along with the bed.

"What is your problem!" She screamed, watching as he was looking high and low. "I told you I have no idea what you're talking about! I heard nothing!" She yelled at the man who huffed in irritation. He turned around and trailed to the chair and sat down right in front of her, his eyes watching her like a hawk.

_His beautiful, emerald eyes_.

Bella shook her head quickly, taking the thought out just before she sneered at him, "What do you want with me? Huh? Is this some sick joke? Or are you going to kill me? Because if you are, just do it now." She asked, but this time he was giving her the silent treatment. "I deserve to know what's going on."

"You don't deserve anything!" He snarled and Bella shook her head, rolling her eyes as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Only a criminal would use that cop out excuse." She challenged, and the green eyed man just watched her – still scrutinizing her, judging her Bella felt like a helpless lamb under the watch of a lion. Bella shifted uncomfortably and played with her fingers that rested in her lap.

_Will it always be like this? Will I never get any information from them? Will I ever see my family again? Will I ever see Adara again? _

The thoughts circled around her brain; she would not let them get to her no matter how true they really were. She could not let them eat at her, because they will just wither her away. She needed to be strong for however long she was going to be trapped in here.

After all, this was just the beginning.

* * *

**Authors Note; Okay before I get reviews whining about how they want more E/B. Good things come to those who wait. Do you honestly expect Bella and Edward to fall in love right when they meet?**

**I think it's safe to say right now they both hate each other's guts.**

**Trust me, things will get heated up soon enough : )**

**Okay, so you liked this chapter? Yes? Go, please go review.**

**I AM BEGGING YOU.**

**I'd love to hear feedback! Even if it's just a rating out of 1-10 haha.**

**No, really guys. When you review it gives me inspiration to write. Seriously. I feel all loved and special inside, haha. As fucking ridiculous that sounds, I seriously do.**

**So please review. Please? For me? For the story?**

**p.s. oh yeah follow me on twitter :) **

**www(dot)twitter(dot)com/xbitterangelx**

**xoxoxo**


	6. Chapter 5

**Author's Note; Oh hey. Wow, I did not take long to update this now did I? This is very short. I mean only nine pages in Word, but still. A chapter is a chapter.**

**Not much to talk about here, so I'll let you guys get to it.**

**Thanks to Lauren for beta-ing. She's been doing a Fan-fucking-tastic job. Give her a round of applause.**

**Alright, get to it. I know you want to.**

**

* * *

**

Chapter 5

"Eat." A blue eyed girl, who was covered by a ski mask, barked at Bella in midst of shoving a plate of God knows what towards her. Bella turned her head to the side, hugging her knees to her chest as she closed her eyes – praying this girl would just disappear. Bella had noticed her height and weight. Only an inch taller than Bella, a little rounder around the waist, but was still none the less small. Bella could take her if she really wanted to, but, it wasn't the girl who she was concerned about – it was the brown eyed man that stood by the door. Even if Bella would take this girl down, she had no way past that man. "I swear to everything Holy, if you do not eat this I will shove it down your throat." She threatened, but Bella still looked away.

_I'd rather die from starvation than give you the satisfaction of attempting to keep me alive for your own disgusting reasons. _

Within seconds the plate dropped and Bella was smacked clear across the face. Her cheek stung with a prickling pain, it took her everything she had to stay seated and not rip that girl's throat out.

"You will eat. Now." The girl growled but Bella stayed still, clutching her cheek as she tried to contain her hatred. The girl turned around, glaring at the brown eyed man behind her. "Knock some sense into her." She told him, and Bella's eyes gaped open. She nearly flung for the plate once the man walked towards her, but it was too late – he pushed it out of her way and gripped her arm tightly.

"Stop! Please! I'll eat! I promise!" Bella kept spewing different words out but it was useless, the man was shaking her like a rag doll, tossing her around as if she we're some kind of toy, slapping her hard in the face. She ended up facedown on the bed just before the girl asked for the brown eyed man, who stopped immediately and tended to the girl. Bella was crying silently, feeling bruises sketch across her skin as she turned to face the girl.

"Hopefully you will think twice now before you disobey us." Blue eyes said just before stalking off and locking the doors behind her. Bella felt sick, she clutched her stomach immediately and dashed to the bathroom, but only heaved liquids because there was simply nothing left in her body. After she was finished she flushed the toilet, falling beside it as she began inspecting her arms. They we're already covered in bruises and the sting on her cheek was still prominent.

Bella stood up, walking to the shower as she turned it on – the water hitting her arms as she cupped her hands and splashed the cool liquid in her face. She let out a soft cry, clutching her stomach as it growled for her to eat. She slowly stood up, glanced behind her shoulder to the opening of the door before walking out. The plate was on the floor, some of the food scattered, but never the less she picked it up. She was hungry, and the girl wasn't in here so Bella wouldn't give her the satisfaction of following her rules.

Bella gripped the plate and sat Indian style on the bed as she picked at the food. It was some kind of pasta with a roll. The pasta didn't look too good though, and Bella just sucked on the noodles before downing them, leaving everything else there besides the roll. She finished her food within ten minutes, but still it didn't fill her and she had a feeling she wouldn't be getting anything else.

Bella laid herself down flat against the bed, her fingers under her pillow as she felt the phone. She had noticed that they are taking shifts in watching her, but she wouldn't dare try and call for help when the brown eyed man was here. Though she was just as afraid of the green eyed man, he hadn't touched her yet and that was a path she wouldn't want to cross. She would wait till green eyes showed because sometimes he lingered outside.

It had to have been more than forty hours since she's found the phone, but the last time green eyes was here he stayed in her room. The two bantered back and fourth until they were sick of hearing each others voices and he left for a good twenty minutes, and that would have been a great time for Bella to call, but her conscience got the better of her.

_What if he was standing outside the door? Listening? Waiting for me to screw up? He'd kill me if he knew I was calling someone. _

When green eyes comes back, Bella would not listen to her conscience, instead she'd tap into her survival skills. This was the only way. The doors began to unlock, and Bella's eyes widen as she shoved the phone back under the pillow and sat herself up. The girl came waltzing back in and Bella could tell she was smirking – even if she couldn't see it.

"You're smart." She told Bella, but Bella looked away – watching as the girl grabbed her plate. "But next time, you'll do what you're told or you'll have to deal with him again." She motioned to the brown eyed man who walked in, once the girl turned around they left together, leaving Bella back in the room by herself.

Xx

Renee wiped the tears that wet her cheeks as she shifted slightly in the leather seat. Phil set his hand to her knee, Renee looked down to it. She loved him, she really did – but his sympathy was unwelcomed. She knew she shouldn't be mad at him, but he was the one who convinced her that her daughter was right, and she didn't need the protection when going to Forks. Renee should have known better than to let her daughter go off alone, she should have known – but deep down inside her she did know. When she kissed her daughter goodbye, something unsettled at the pit of her stomach.

She thought that maybe it was just nerves – it was the first time Bella had left somewhere without security in a very long time. Then the night before Charlie called, Renee had a nightmare of her daughter in pain – in danger and she woke up drenched in sweat. She called Bella nearly six times, but the answering machine caught them all. Then she called her emergency phone, and that as well was turned off.

The next day she tried to suffice without speaking to her daughter, and when she finally got a call her heart dropped. More tears spilled over Renee's face and once her limo pulled into the familiar driveway, she launched herself out. Phil called after her, but she passed around the limo and onto the familiar steps – ignoring the memories that pulsed through her head.

"Charlie!" Renee screamed, swinging the door open and ignoring the police who crowded the house. Charlie appeared at the doorway of the kitchen and for a moment when he saw Renee, his breathing hitched. He thought he would have never seen her again after their last court date for the divorce, but here she was standing in front of him in tears – just like the time she had told him she were pregnant. They we're in the very same spots, but something was different. This time she was crying sad tears, and when Renee flung herself around her ex-husband I was not for the fact that she happy to see him, but because they were mourning the loss of their child.

Charlie didn't know what to do, especially when Phil walked in to see them. Charlie soothingly set a hand on his ex-wife's back but kept it there and awkwardly pulled away to look down at her.

"Have they found anything?" Renee cried and Charlie shook his head. Renee let out another sob, but this time Phil tended to her and Charlie was thankful. "How could this happen, where could she be? Are you sure she was kidnapped?"

Charlie let out a breath just before introducing himself to Phil. The two had never met before, and Charlie could tell instantly that Phil was sizing him up. Charlie would do the same considering it was instinctual, but he was too tired and too upset to be involved in a pissing contest.

Charlie then went into full detail of what happened, about the paint, the Volturi, the note, and how they are going to track these kidnappers down. Renee sobbed into her hands, Phil rubbed her back soothingly, pressing a kiss to her head.

"It was my fault." Phil finally said. "I should have known she needed to take protection, and Renee even told me but I was – I didn't think anything would happen here." He hung his head low and Renee finally looked up to her husband through her tears.

"We'll find her…" Renee asked, looking back to Charlie who winced slightly at the resemblance of Bella in Renee's face. "Right?" She finished, and gulped.

"I swear to you Renee, I will not rest until I find her." He told her honestly for reassurance, "I have the best men on the job, and we will track these fuckers down – I promise you." Renee couldn't help but step back forward and wrap her arms around Charlie's middle. This time he gave in and hugged her back, setting his chin on top of her head.

Xx

Edward's bed was creaking in protest from the constant pushing and pulling with his and Tanya's bodies that were conjoined as one. She was moaning and withering on top of him, gripping his shoulders as her nails dug into his skin. He growled in warning, not wanting her touch him like that and leave marks. She got the message but was neither turned nor put off about it. Her hands reached to his defined abdominals, pressing down to increase her rhythm.

Edward opened his mouth and a spew of curse words began falling out as he reached his climax, stilling inside of her as he threw his head back. Tanya had found her release as wel,l just before tossing herself off and lying down next to him to control her heart rate. she reached over at the edge of his bed and gripping her cigarette pack. She set one between her lips but Edward took it quickly, snapping it in half.

"Hey!" She pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. "This whole 'health-freak' thing is getting kind of old, Edward."

"Second hand smoke is just as bad as first hand smoking. So while you black your lungs like the inside of a chimney, I'd like to keep mine intact." Edward growled and Tanya rolled her eyes.

"You're such a pretentious asshole." She told him, and he nodded in agreement just before she leaned over and sprinkled kisses along his chest. Edward closed his eyes and wrapped his arm around her shoulder to bring her closer. She cuddled into his side, and when he opened his eyes to look down at her he could have sworn he saw brown hair splayed across his chest instead of the normal strawberry blonde. She looked up to him, but she wasn't who he thought she was. She was Isabella and Edward was mesmerized by her. His hand skimmed her cheek as he watched over the milky color, he had a sudden urge to kiss her forehead but instead he blinked, Tanya came back to view and Edward couldn't help but feel something in the pit of his stomach. Loss? Sadness? Emptiness?

_Working on only an hour of sleep is fucking me up. _

Tanya looked up to Edward with crystal blue eyes, and he felt turned off by them – nearly disgusted and he had no idea why. Her smile was not forced at all, but his was and it was barely even noticeable. After a few more moments of laying there, Tanya finally got up and began slipping her clothes back on as Edward leaned over to check the time. He groaned as his palms ran up and down his face, his back arching as he heard it crack.

"I've got to get to work." Tanya said, "And by the looks of it, so do you. Wanna catch a ride with me?" She asked him, and he peeked through two fingers that she was holding her keys up. Edward shook his head because he could think of plenty of other things to do than ride around in Tanya's Two-Thousand and Ten Bentley she received from her parents.

"I'd rather choke myself with a fucking chopstick." Edward mused nonchalantly and stood from the bed to pull his boxers on. Tanya narrowed her eyes at him, and huffed in irritation. She thought she'd spite him and say goodbye to his dog instead of him, but right when she even came a foot in distance with Russell he growled at her and she jumped back, moaning in defeat before treading out of his apartment. It was now six ten in the evening, and Edward set his alarm for eight thirty.

"Two hours of sleep will do me some good. What do you think, Russell?" Edward asked his dog, who perked up his head from the small bed he was laying on in the corner of the room. Russell's pointy ears tilted with the rest of his head as Edward spoke to him; in the end the dog just moaned and laid his head back down over his crossed paws. "I'll take that as a yes." Edward chuckled and laid back down, it not even taking a minute before he was passed out.

Xx

Bella laid on her bed, shrouded in darkness and allowing it to consume every part of her. There were no more tears falling down her cheeks because honestly, she couldn't cry anymore. Her tears were dried out, useless, and helped her in no way. But that didn't stop the thoughts from swirling around her mind.

_I'll never get out of here…_

_They'll eventually kill me…_

_I will not survive…_

Instead of fighting for her life, she just let the truth eat at her. She always forgot she had one way out, but even with her cell phone she felt like she had no hope. Earlier when no one was in the room, she discovered she had no service anywhere. The stone walls were blocking her reception. There was no other way for her to survive.

The door at the side began unlocking, and Bella slowly turned her head towards the noise but still not being able to see because of the darkness. Light fell in her room and she squinted. _They're probably here to throw me around some more,_ Bella thought.

"Hey." A familiar voice called out Bella could recognize the green eyed man from anywhere. Still she made no movements and turned herself so her back could face him. Why was he even trying to engage in a conversation with her? She hated his guts, and he knew that and probably felt the same way about her.

Edward turned on the light switch and the ceiling light buzzed to life. Bella was curled up in a ball on the bed, her hair mopped on the top of her head due to her putting it up. He clutched a bag filled with clothes at his side, courtesy of his sister Alice who left some things behind when she visited him. Edward cleared his throat, but Bella did not move. He was becoming angry.

_Why isn't she looking at me? _

"Hey!" Edward said more clearly and loudly, his voice booming off the echoed walls.

"What?" Bella finally screamed and sat straight up, clutching her hair as she turned him. "What the fuck could you possibly want?"

Edward was taken aback by her vocabulary, but none the less he was still entertained. The past six days had been odd to say the least, and though she annoyed the shit out of him he couldn't help but find her amusing. They we're like cat and mouse, but instead of claws and teeth, they used words. Edward had never a woman talk back to him the way she did. Most women would do and say anything he directed them to do, but Bella, she was different. Of course her case was different – she was allowed to be bitter because she was being kidnapped, but still he couldn't help but smirk at her annoyance.

"You are a genuine jackass, you know that?" She seethed, her face finally coming into view. His eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets as he saw her skin painted with bruises across her cheeks, he immediately had the urge to choke the fuck out of Felix. Not wanting to show his weakness, he ignored the bruises though it was very difficult for him.

_This was work, not play time. Why the hell does he always fuck shit up? _

"I brought you some clothes." He told her, trying very hard to ignore the marks on her face as he handed her the bag. Bella reached for it timidly, like a scared kitten that was pushed and forced in a corner. "I promise, it won't bite." He smirked, even though she couldn't see it – she sensed it.

She snapped the bag from his hand and went through it, laughing half-heartedly. "So you guys kidnap me and try to deck me out in Armani and Gucci?" She breathed, shaking her head in disgust as she threw the clothes to the side. Edward gripped the clothes, shaking his fist at Alice who only wore designer clothing.

"Doesn't matter who made it, they're clothes. Quite honestly I find it repulsing that you haven't changed clothes in the past six days." Edward seethed.

_That's how long it's been?_ Bella thought, _Almost a week?_

"_Sorry_, I didn't have time to pack my bags before I was captured." She remarked back with her sarcastic tone that Edward both enjoyed but hated.

"You will wear what we bring you. That's final." Edward growled, not really knowing why he was fighting over this kind of topic. It was just clothes. But for some reason she pushed him to that point, to the point where he could fight with her about the goddamn weather if she pissed him enough.

"You can't force me into wearing anything!" Bella snapped loudly as she brought her arms across her chest.

"Why the fuck are you arguing with me about this? I brought you fresh clothes, be fucking grateful." Edward sneered once again and Bella just rolled her eyes. "Stop being such a fucking spoiled brat and just fucking wear the damn clothes." Edward cursed more when he was ticked off, and this was just the _cherry_ on his day.

"I'm sorry I haven't been more grateful to you," She began sarcastically, "Let me drop to my knees and kiss your feet – _and_ while I'm at it, why don't you get some fucking grapes so I can feed them to you, and then, since we're getting in the mood why don't I just lay my cards all out on the table and let you treat me however you think I should be treated, maybe like that whore that you fucked right outside my door the other day!" And while Bella was ranting she stood up, and was facing him straight on and Edward was so blown away that he had some urge to just sweep her in his arms. He thought he was quiet with Tanya when they fucked down the hall the other night, but apparently he was wrong.

Edward just chuckled darkly in response and he turned around, stalking off and directing his anger towards where it really needed to be.

Felix.

Xx

"I don't know what to tell you Chief, they left no prints, no smudges, nothing. It was as if she just disappeared. I mean I knew they we're good, but I didn't know they we're that good." Peter, the main officer in the FBI, sighed as he shook his head as him and Charlie sat on the couch. Renee sat opposite from them in a chair, wiping her tears once again as she slowly drank her water.

"They said they would be contacting us on their terms. What does that mean? Letters? Calls? Emails? What?" Charlie cried.

"They want my money." Phil said from behind the chair that Renee sat on, and everyone turned to face him. "I will pay _anything _to get Isabella back." Phil cried, and Charlie gritted his teeth.

_Who the hell does this fucker think he is? He isn't even her father. _

But Charlie removed the thought because he needed Phil, but more importantly; needed his money. Renee tended to a crying Phil, and Charlie glanced away and back at the FBI. "We can track them down easily with email and phone calls, right?"

"Yes, but do you know how much this will all cost?" Peter said as he tried to reason with Charlie. "And do you know how long this could take? We should see how they are trying to contact us first, and then it will lead us from there."

"Do not worry about cost, Peter." Charlie fumed. "This is my daughter we are talking about. Money is no object. I will give my last fucking penny to you. So do not talk to me about cost. You do what you have to do."

"Yes, Chief." Peter nodded and turned back to his partners as he ordered them to get equipment ready to track down any emails, or tap into any phones. It was going to be a long night for them. Peter turned back around to the three parents who were mourning the loss of their child, "Listen, I know this is a tough time for you but I think I need to warn you about what the possible outcomes may be."

"There will be no outcome except for us getting Isabella back and alive," Phil chimed in, "They want my money and once I receive the number, I will pay it. That's it."

"But you have to listen to me," Peter began as he shook his head, "I've been on many cases like these – the child stolen for a ransom and I just want you all to know the possibility that may happen." Peter took in a deep breath before continuing, because this was the hardest part, "She may possibly be dead right now. They'll keep up the façade and pretend that she is still alive, just to get more and more money."

By this time Renee was in tears, and wetness stung in Charlie's eyes. "No." Charlie finally said and shook his head, "It's not possible. I will not believe it."

Peter raised his hands in defeat and stepped back. He just wanted them to be prepared for any outcome, but he could understand their hostility – it was their only child. If it were Peter in their place, he would react the same way.

He left them there, standing in their tears, hoping that this information would set in – just in case this game ended in a destructive way.

Xx

"Felix!" Edward growled as he stomped down the hallway. He didn't even have enough time to get his key from his pocket; he busted the back door of the strip club open and charged through it like a mad man. Felix was at the end of the pool table, and just as he was about to hit his last ball in, Edward crashed into him like a boulder.

Felix screamed out a string of curse words as people turned their attention to the crashing noise coming from the back of the room. Edward had Felix in a corner, the pool stick against his throat as Felix began to choke. "What the _fuck_ is your problem you ungrateful bastard?"

Felix would have answered – but he couldn't think, let alone breathe.

Edward dropped the pool stick and pushed him out towards the broken door. Felix wouldn't dare talk back, or throw a punch at Edward – he was Aro's pet. Felix would be dead in two seconds, even if he was more largely built than Edward was.

Edward had gotten Alec to stand outside the door of the strip club so no one would wonder down the halls. They couldn't have any suspicious eyes roaming around and Edward nearly gotten his ass beat by Aro for bringing Tanya down just because he was a little horny. As they trailed down the stairs, Edward pushed Felix into the door just before flinging it open.

"You arrogant fucking asshole. I'm going to kill you!" Edward seethed, Felix flinched – obviously confused. "You are not supposed to touch her! We're already walking a thin line of kidnapping, if for some God awful reason they find us and she's covered in bruises then we can be charged for that to!" The reason was bullshit, but it would have to suffice. Felix couldn't know that Edward was really ticked off that he had touched her to begin with – she was not to be touched, she was too precious, too innocent.

Edward shook his head realizing he needed a little more than two hours of sleep.

"Does it really matter? Really? She was being a little bitch, so I put her in line." He said, Edward so desperate, he wanted to pull out his forty four magnum desert eagle from his side of his pants and shove it down in Felix's mouth. This would only lead to conclusions that Edward was being protective of Bella, the only reason why he would be protective is if he cared.

if he cared, then he was screwed.

So Edward stayed still and backed off just before huffing, "Don't let it happen again."

And as he began walking deeper down into the hallways, he pulled on his ski mask that he had thrown off before charging into the strip club as he headed back towards Bella's room. Once he reached it , he realized that Caius was already there with his head pressed against the metal door.

"What the fuck are you — " He began, Caius shushed him immediately as he continued to listen. Slowly and very softly he began to unlock each lock, one by one, careful not to make much noise.

Felix joined them with his ski mask, then Caius abruptly swung the door open. Once the door was wide open, everyone was wide eyed as they saw Bella huddled in the corner, her eyes widening in surprise as a cell phone dropped from her ear and into her lap. Edward was at loss of words, his eyes large as his mouth was gaped open.

_What the fuck?_

_

* * *

_**Author's Note; I know, I know. Cliff hanger.**

**Please review you guys, a lot of you took your time to review last chapter and I am so grateful.**

**You see what happens when you review? Good stuff happens, like an early chapter.**

**TOSOY is still in progress. I know, I know. I haven't found any inspiration of it yet, but I hope you guys don't think I'm abondening it. I'm really not. Would you rather force me to write it with no inspiration? It'd come out like shit. Give me a few days and hopefully this writers block will end.**

**Okay, AND follow me on twitter. You'll get updates, notifications and sneak peaks of new chapters.**

**www(dot)twitter(dot)com/xbitterangelx**

**Alright you guys, please review. It means so much to me.**

**Have a fan-fucking-tastic day. I mean that with all my heart my lovelies : )**

**xoxoxo**

**Shelby**

**p.s. who else is totally excited for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1? Yay!**


	7. Chapter 6

_**Author's Note; Hey guys. I know, it's been awhile but I made it with a new chapter. No much to say here. Things are going to get pretty intense, we just have to do the basics first.**_

_**Thanks to my wonderful beta Lauren, she is doing amazingly well but I think you all know that already.**_

_**Alright mothafuckas,**_

_**Read. Because I know you want to.**_

_**shelby**_

_**xoxo**_

_**

* * *

**_

Chapter 6

Bree Tanner glanced up at the ticking clock in her classroom; her drifted eyes back down on her exam paper as she tapped her pencil along the page. She tried to remember the velocity of the specific electrons that were printed on her paper. Her hand shot up into her hair, pushing it back as she took in a deep breath. There was only thirty minutes left of the test, plus class in general. It was her last exam ever, for the rest of her life – but something kept her from reeling in this exciting time.

_Bella. _

She was with her the day she was kidnapped – Bree thought that maybe she could have done something, anything to prevent this. Maybe invited Bella to come hang out at her house with her, or even follow Bella home to go visit Charlie. She could have done something, that very fact is what ate at her. Bree felt the tears welling in her cheeks, but she sucked them down and continued on with her test.

Something caught Bree's eye, she turned to her bag to see her phone lighting up inside. Her professor sat at the front of the class, writing something down in a notepad and not even aware of the fact that two of his students were cheating. She reached into her bag and pulled out her phone.

That's when Bree let out a scream, gaining an audience just as she flew out of the room. She answered the phone immediately, holding it to her ear, "Bella! Bella? Is that you?"

"Bree!" Bella's crackly voice came through the receiver.

"Bella? Where are you? Do you know you have been missing for a week?" Bree's thought process was very jumbled from Bella's sudden call. _Of course she knows she's been missing for a week_.

"Yes, I know." Bella said quietly and in a panicked voice. "Look I can't talk for long, they'll be back."

"Who will be back?" Bree cried.

"Them. I just… I need you to call the police." She told Bree, who was now being questioned by her professor. Bree ignored him and turned around, placing her hand over the ear that didn't have the phone attached to it.

"Why didn't you call the police? Why are you calling me?" Bree asked.

"Because I only have so much battery in my phone, and I didn't have time to type out a number. I pressed talk and you were the last person I talked to." Bella quickly stopped herself and changed the subject, "Bree! I can't explain this, just call the police and tell them that I've been kidnapped."

"We know that Bella, but where are you?" Bree sighed, trying to get all the words out.

"I don't know. They won't let me out of this room. I just… I don't know Bree, _please_ you have to help me." Bella cried.

"Bella, what do you see near you? Is there anything you can tell me that will indicate where you are? I can't help you if I don't know!" Bree screamed.

"I'm in a stone room… I think I'm in a basement… I don't know Bree, I just don't know! You have to help me, please…" Bella stopped abruptly and Bree glanced to the phone. The call wasn't dropped, but suddenly Bella began screaming and Bree began to panic.

"Bella? Bella!"

The call was ended.

Later Bree pulled into Charlie's driveway, screeching her car into park, not bothering to turn it off as she jumped out of it and began running. "Charlie!" Bree screamed as she ran down the rocky driveway, "Charlie!" She yelled again, jumping up the steps and ignoring the police who told her to stay back. Charlie came around the corner when he heard his name being screamed at. Bree lifted her phone to him, tears springing to her eyes. "She called me! She called!"

"What?" Charlie asked, confused as Bree threw her phone at him.

"Bella! She called me when I was in class!" Bree cried and that's when she saw Renee round the corner, gaping at her as her fingers caressed her lips. The police began to surround glanced at her caller I.D, seeing Bella's name as the last incoming call.

"Are you sure it was her?" Charlie asked in a soft voice, not wanting to get his hopes up as he stared down at the phone.

"She called me when I was in class and told me that she's been kidnapped…" Bree told him everything Bella said. Even though the information wasn't much – Charlie couldn't help but feel relieved because this meant that his daughter was alive. The thoughts we're comforting until she told him that the last thing she heard was Bella screaming.

"Can I take this phone?" Charlie asked.

"It's yours." Bree gave it to him willingly, crossing her arms over her stomach as she cried silent tears. Charlie gave the phone to his officer telling him to take it to the crime lab straight away.

Xx

"We know that Bella," Bree said, "But where are you?" She asked and Bella glanced around her room, the tears spilling down her face. She wanted to call her mother, or her father – either one, she knew they were looking for her. But she pressed the talk button, and Bree was the last person in her call list. Bree was faithful – she could trust Bree.

"I don't know." Bella cried, "They won't let me out of this room. I just – I don't know Bree, please you have to help me."

"Bella," Bree said strictly, "What do you see near you? Is there anything you can tell me that will indicate where you are? I can't help you if I don't know!" Her voice was annoyed, and Bella knew she was just frustrated but Bella honestly did not know where she was. It would be different if she had a window to look out of but she didn't even have that.

"I'm in a stone room… I think I'm in a basement…" She whimpered, glancing around the room as she clustered herself in a corner, the only place where she could find service. "I don't know Bree, I just don't know! You have to help me, please…" Just before she could finish, the door across from her flew open.

Bella's heart stopped.

There were three of them, all gaping at her as if she had died and came back to life – and instantly Bella dropped the phone.

"Get her!" The green eyed man yelled and the two men flung forward. Bella began screaming, thrashing about as the skinny one grabbed her cell phone, and the larger brown eyed man gripped her. She could hear Bree screaming, but it was quickly ended when the man closed the phone, running over to the green eyed man and handing it to him.

"Don't touch her." Green eyes said, but Bella was too busy thrashing about. Green eyes walked out and away and the brown eyed man dropped her, walking towards the door but stopped right before he closed it, as he was still inside. Bella's eyes widened as she could see the glint of horror in his eyes.

Bella jumped from the floor, flinging herself towards the bathroom and shoving the door close. The man ran into the door, and Bella put all her body weight against it, crying profusely as she tried to keep the man from entering. He pounded against the door, growling and snarling like an animal, trying to catch his prey. Bella screamed at him and abruptly the noise stopped, and she heard footsteps fade away.

Bella would not be fooled though. She stayed put, putting her face in her hands as she cried. And while Bella sobbed into her arms, Edward stood in Aro's office, walking up and down the rug as he shook his head.

_Where the hell did she get a cell phone? _

"This is completely unacceptable." Aro's voice was calm, but Edward knew better. He turned his head as the door opened and Felix entered, standing next to Caius and Alec. "Completely and utterly unacceptable. Who was responsible of checking if she had any kind of communications on her?" Everyone turned to Felix whose face flushed pale, and Edward couldn't help but snicker.

"Sir…" Felix began; his voice cracking as Aro rounded his desk to walk towards him. "She must have had it on her, as in her pockets or something – because I checked her bag and there was a cell phone in it. I thought it was hers, so I didn't check anywhere else."

"Always check the pockets! You never know if someone could have an iPod, a pager, a fucking pigeon for Christ sakes! Your stupidity and ignorance may have cost us everything we've been working for." Aro's voice was raised, and Edward broke into a smile as he watched Felix squirm. He despised Felix, so seeing his ass being chewed and spit back out was amazing. "Caius."

"Sir?" Caius responded as Felix stepped back, staying silent.

"Take the phone. Find who she called, and you find who it was. If it was the police, then report to me immediately, and then we must move our business elsewhere." He said, his voice laced with disgust for Felix.

"Sir," Edward began, "They can't trace a call unless it's backed with equipment." Edward chuckled as he shook his head. "It's just not possible."

"Your right. But what if her father already has this equipment hooked up? Hm? You're not giving them enough credit, Edward. What would you do if you had a daughter and she was kidnapped?" Aro asked and Edward went silent, crossing his arms over his broad chest.

"Track the call. Now. Return to me ASAP." Aro sighed, rubbing his forehead as he rounded back around his desk and sat down. "Felix, go home. Now. I can't even stand to look at you."

Felix nodded, turned on his heels and walked straight out. Aro fell back onto his chair, now rubbing his temples as he tried to calm all of the nerves that we're set on fire due to Felix's wrong-doing. "Edward." Aro finally called out, and Edward stood still, his back straight up and chin forward, like a soldier. "Go watch the girl while I try to undo all the damage." Aro waved him off and Edward grinded his teeth together and walked out of the room.

Bella was in the same position, but this time her tears had stopped – she was numb and she was encouraging the feeling to eat at her until she couldn't take it any longer. She didn't want to feel anything anymore, and she certainly didn't want to leave from this position.

"Isabella?" She recognized the green eyed man's voice, hearing it falter because he felt awkward calling her Isabella – and she could tell. Though some how the way he said it, it sounded so natural. She hated it when people called her Isabella, but when he said it – she'd rather him be calling her by that then just plain Bella. Still, Bella did not move, nor did she say a word when he called out a second time. He knocked on the door, and she knocked back letting him know she was in there. "You have to come out eventually, you know." He told her, and she shook her head though she knew he couldn't see it.

_I would rather rot in here then see your ski covered face again._

She wanted to say it, but her lips stayed shut as she toyed with the string that had fallen off her sweater. The other side went quiet, and Bella only assumed that the man had left but still she made no effort to get up. Suddenly the door flew open and Bella's body was thrown across the room at the impact. "Hey!" She yelled, gripping the back of her head as she rubbed it gently.

"Get of out there." The man said, his voice tantalizing slow. "_Now_."

Even though she could only see his eyes – that was all she needed to see in order to come to the conclusion that he was angry with her. _Good. Let him be angry._ Bella stood from the opposite side of the floor she was flung onto and walked out and back into the bedroom. The man followed, slamming the bathroom door shut behind him, loudly, causing Bella to flinch as she curled up on the end of the bed, her knees hugging her chest as she let out a deep breath of air.

"You…" The man began, and Bella looked up and knew he was about to start yelling. She put her head down like a puppy getting in trouble for peeing on the floor, and she awaited her punishment, "_You_ are so… so… for Christ sakes, I don't even have a word to describe you yet!" He chuckled angrily, and Bella looked up to see a look of amusement on his face. "You make things so difficult, that sometimes I don't even know how to handle the situation."

She didn't want to fight – she didn't want to scream, she was all tired out and all she wanted to do was go to sleep and hope that when she wakes up this is all just a nightmare. So instead of arguing like she usually does, she stayed quiet and closed her eyes hoping that he would just go away and she could just relax.

"Do you realize what you have done? What…What… What could have happened? They could have killed you for that, just because you can't swallow your pride and do as you're told!" He yelled, Bella finally looked up at him. How dare he talk that way to her? Talk to her as if she turned the wrong way on the intersection even though he clearly told her to go the other. Bella was at a loss of words that this man actually thought she wasn't going to fight for her life, fight for her want and willingness to survive.

"Swallow my pride?" The words came out like she was choking, but Bella was so astonished by his words, or lack thereof, that she couldn't even think about doing anything else but yelling at him. Bella stood from her bed, which caused the green eyed man to step back, his eyes slightly widening at her sudden eagerness to show him up. "You take me from my home, feed me on your watch, lock me up in a bedroom, not allowing me to see sunlight and stay in perpetual night and you're telling me to just sit here and swallow my pride?"

"That is exactly what I am telling you to do! Clearly we aren't going to hurt you, because if we were we would have killed you by now!" The man was getting angry, but Bella couldn't back down – not now. She didn't even know this man but they were fighting as if they have known each other for years – and that is exactly what set both of them off. They didn't know each other, but acted as if they did. They were both confused with emotions, which undoubtedly would lead them to their downfall.

"You bastard! How about I kidnap you, shove you in a dark room and tell you to not try and fight for your life!" Bella spat venomously and Edward stepped forward, clutching his fists at his side.

_This is all we will do. Go round and round, fight until we are both out of breath. _

"If you had any inkling on how to survive, then you would know if you just shut up, sit down and do as you're told then you'll be out of here in a matter of months!" He screamed, the veins in his neck pulsating from the anger that ran through his body. "You stupid little brat, you think everything revolves around you – you think that just because you've been kidnapped we have to care to your every tend and need. How thick are you, Swan? Have you seen ransom movies? If the captured doesn't do what they are told, they die?" He challenged her, Bella was so close to pulling her hair out.

"You make absolutely no sense! Do you realize that? I'm trying to survive! And just because the likes of you come in here and tell me to swallow my pride and take what's being thrown at me, doesn't mean I'm going to change my mind." Bella sneered, feeling tears brimming around her eyes in anger. _Who is this man to tell me what to feel and what to do? _"Clearly this has something to do with money if you're holding me for ransom. So what is it? You after my stepfather?"

Edward chuckled darkly, his green eyes ablaze. "For someone so thick, you're pretty fucking smart." He hissed, but Bella just turned her head and crossed her arms over her chest. "Of course this is about Dwyer. Someone with so much money, ought to share it don't you think?" He smirked, though she couldn't see it – she could still sense it. Bella looked away in disgust, and scoffed.

"You are pathetic." She whispered, and Edward's eyes narrowed straight at her. How dare she say such a thing to him? Did she truly not know her life was in the palm of his hands? Edward growled; the animalistic sound caused Bella to look back at him just before his large hands set against her shoulders, shoving her down onto the bed. Bella cried when he pushed her so far that her head hit the wall.

Her eyes widened as she stared up at the man who had just pushed her down, and she couldn't believe he did it – couldn't believe he actually touched her. No matter how many times they argued, Bella always felt more comfortable (even as creepy and undermining as it sounds) with the green eyed man than anyone else.

But now she realized, that his soft tendencies like calling her by her name, and sometimes even having a rational conversation with her couldn't compare to the fact that _he_ _did_ in fact kidnap her, and _he is_ involved with this. He was reeling her in with bait, and she latched on. She became too relaxed around him, which prompted her to always argue. He was right, she was stupid. You never argue with someone who was in the position to kill you.

On the other side, Edward was fuming and he turned his back on her and stalked out towards the door. Just before he turned the knob, he stopped and muttered, "If you're going through hell…" He paused, "Keep going."

Bella recognized the quote instantly, but didn't comment on it. The green eyed monster left, and Bella curled up in a ball, ignoring the fact that the back of her head was bleeding.

Xx

Bella couldn't even recognize days anymore. She hadn't been able to since she's been put in this hell hole. She could though, count seconds, minutes, and hours. It had been exactly

Seventy six hours, thirty eight minutes and four seconds since she had last seen the green eyed man. Just a little over three days.

_Hopefully, he won't be back._

She knew he was there, knew that he had to watch her over some point of the day/night but he would never come in. He would always sit in front of her door where she couldn't see him, but oddly enough she could feel him. During those times, she occupied herself with sleeping. By the time she woke up, he was gone.

_Good riddance. _

She'd rather deal with the bulky brown eyed man who had every intent of forcing her into something she'd very much oppose to, than the green eyed man any day. At least with the brown eyed man, she could fight him off until he was too tired to try anymore.

But something deep down inside of her knew that she really didn't mean that.

So when more hours passed, Bella was surprised that after she got out of the shower and changed into a clean pair of clothes, the green eyed man came into her room to give her food. Bella stood in the corner of the room, watching as he set the chicken and mashed potatoes on the stool next to her bed. Her jaw tightened, and she wanted to say something but thought better of it.

_He is your kidnapper. You don't make small talk with your kidnapper._

Bella chanted this in her head over and over again, but something inside of her wanted to talk to him, wanted him to talk to her. He stood straight up, and looked at her through the holes in his masked. Bella was playing with the ends of her wet hair, glancing from the food to him and the awkward tension between them began to dissipate for some reason. Finally the green eyed man turned on his heels and began walking towards the door.

"Thank you." Bella chirped from her corner, gulping as she watched him freeze.

But once he was gone, Bella still felt him there – lingering outside the door. She walked to her bed, setting herself down and picking at her food.

On the other side of the door, Edward had ripped his mask off and was profusely running his fingers through his hair, tugging and pulling as he tried to shake this feeling. He didn't know what it was, didn't know why he was feeling this way, feeling almost guilty for her. When he had given her food to her, it was the first time he had seen her in four days. He figured after touching her like he did, he didn't want to mess with her. It was stupid of him to push her – he knew it and felt guilty for it. Not once had a girl annoyed him that far that he just wanted to push her, forcing her to knock her head on the concrete wall behind her.

He felt awful, and he wanted to apologize. In fact that was the reason he told Caius not to feed her dinner around the normal time. Edward made up some excuse that she wouldn't shut up from screaming the night before, so as punishment she wouldn't get dinner. But really, Edward had bought some fast food before coming into work and delivered it to her himself once everyone left.

His timing was horrible, because she was in the bathroom but he was tempted to wait. When she walked out in a damp clothes and wet hair, Edward about lost it. Something about her was pulling him towards her, and he hated it. He couldn't ignore it – but he still couldn't apologize. The words were stuck there.

_Apologizing means you're weak, and weak means you'll have no chance in this world._

So Edward turned around and headed back for the exit, but not before hearing Bella mutter a thank you. Edward acted as if it didn't faze him, but once he left the room it killed him.

This is what had him ended up in this position, clinging to his hair for dear life as he tried to rationalize why he was feeling so sympathetic towards this girl.

_She is just a girl. _

What Edward didn't realize was that even though she was just a girl, she was a girl who stood up for herself and fought for her survival because it was that important to her. He had never kidnapped anyone before, but from movies and stories most girls would sit and cry – hoping their knight and shining armor would come and rescue them. Bella knew differently – she knew there was no knight and shining armor waiting for her to get kidnapped and need to be saved. And that is the exact reason why Edward was so soft with her – because she was different but he was just to confused to order his thoughts out.

So while Edward could have been thinking why he was feeling so attached to the girl who infuriated him to no end, he received a text message from Tanya and chased after her upstairs, willing to forget about the girl he _just couldn't_ seem to forget.

Xx

Bree Tanner sat on her stomach in her apartment, flipping through the latest gossip magazine as the TV in the background blared the news. The topic of the missing girl Isabella Swan seemed to die down for now, but Bree knew better. Her best friend was still missing, and soon enough the police would hopefully track down those fuckers who captured her. Bree rolled on her back, popping an Oreo into her mouth as she read about Taylor Swift's latest breakup, trying not to think too much about Bella because that would only cause tears.

_Clank. Clank. Clank. _

_Thump._

The noise from downstairs caused the magazine in Bree's hand to drop. She looked over at her Marilyn Munroe table clock, reading one AM. Bree thought of who could possibly be in her house, which was most likely than her roommate Susan. Bree slid off the bed, feeling slightly nervous because Susan went to a party, and usually doesn't come home till the sun comes up.

"Susan?" Bree called out, stepping onto the floor as she turned towards her door, the hallway lit up with a white glow. Suddenly a struck of thunder rattled the complex and the power began to flicker. Bree looked back at the TV that turned on and off; the voice of the news reporter that was now talking about Bella was cut out from the power.

Finally, the electricity turned off for good, and Bree felt a lump in her throat as she tried to calm her racing heart. "Susan? If this is a joke, I swear I will kill you." Bree called out and began down the hallway.

There was no response.

Bree gripped the hall closet, shoving it open to grab the baseball bat that she kept there in scenarios just like this one. She gripped the bat tightly, closed the hall closet door and walked deeper down into the hallway.

Her hands began to sweat.

"Susan! Please, just stop fucking around!" Bree called out, hitting the stairs. She began down the first few steps and headed in the direction of the kitchen, where the lightening outside lit up the white colored walls. Bree continued around the kitchen, stopping at the fridge, she turned her head to the side to look around the corner to make sure it was clear.

Once she was sure it was, she began farther into her home, but felt her movements faltering as she slipped on something wet. She reached for the island in the middle of the kitchen, dropping the bat as it clanked against the floor. She fixed her balance, bringing her leg up to wipe whatever it was off of the soles of her foot. Just then, the lightening outside lit up the sky and the inside of the kitchen.

Looking at her hand in the sudden light Bree noticed that what she wiped off her foot was red and sticky.

Her breath hitched. She looked down to the floor her head jerking as it turned, to see a puddle of blood. A small track of it from where she slipped. Tears began around her eyes as she walked around the other side of the island. She let out a strangled sob, seeing the familiar blonde hair scattered around the familiar face of Susan, her roommate.

Bree turned from the body and began running towards the staircase, jumping up each other step as she reached the top. She stopped at the hallway, noticing that at the end of it the closet she had closed was now wide open. Her bedroom was just on the other side of that closet, where her cell phone with full reception laid on her bed.

Bree's heart was pounding in her ears. Her mind racing with different thoughts and the picture of her dead friend forever planted in her mind. Her tears began to form again, and Bree knew she couldn't wait.

Adrenaline coursed through her veins.

She took in a deep breath and ran to her room, flinging herself past the open hallway just before hearing something crash behind her. She slammed her bedroom door shut; the object that was chasing her crashed against her closed door, leaving a splintered dent as she locked it.

She ran for her bed, gripping her cell phone and dialed nine-one-one.

"Nine-One-One what is your emergency?" The lady over the other line said, and Bree was screaming over the person that was ramming themselves into her door.

"Please! Someone is in my house! I locked myself in the bedroom, but they are tearing down the door! I live at the Oakley apartment complex, on Ninety Six Carson Street! Please help me!" She cried, watching as the wood of the door began to split. "They're getting in! Please help me!"

"I have police coming there now, Ma'm please stay calm! Try and crawl out a window, get as far away as possible!" The woman on the other line shouted, though had no idea of the fear that was coursing through Bree's body.

Bree knew she was stuck.

Her window was a thirty foot drop down to the ground with no ledges or pipes to hold on to. She began to cry, trying to explain to the woman there was nothing she could do. Bree edged closer to the corner of room, but something other than the wall hit her.

Her eyes widened. Her phone dropped to the floor. The woman screaming for Bree to answer her. The phone hit the hardwood floor crashing and scattering into different pieces. Her heart was in her throat, she began to turn around, she could see the tall figure behind her.

Before she could even scream, she felt a blow to the back of her head.

Then all she saw was darkness.

* * *

_**Author's Note; I know, cliffy. But who could possibly be going after Bree? I'm sure you have an inkling, and I'm sure that inkling is right.**_

_**I'm trying REALLY hard to get a new chapter of The Other Side Of You out. I know it's been over a month, and I really am trying to get out of this writers block. But then again I'm stuck in the middle of finals. After tomorrow, I can put more attention on it. I PROMISE!**_

_**Aright you guys, you know the drill.**_

_**The more you review, the more it inspires me to write.**_

_**Don't believe me? Try it out.**_

_**ALSO follow me on twitter! You'll get updates and what not, plus sneak peaks.**_

_**www(dot)twitter(dot)com/xbitterangelx**_

_**xoxo**_


	8. Chapter 7

**Author's Note; Not much to say here except thank you to my beta Lauren who knocked this shit out within a couple of hours. So thank you Lauren !**

**You know the deal, read and PLEASE review.**

**I'm not desperate or anything… I promise. **

**xoxo **

**shelby **

**

* * *

**

Chapter 7

Charlie stepped across the yellow tape and towards the apartment door that was wide open, police swarming in and out of it. "Chief!" Sam yelled as Charlie walked in, grabbing his attention as he jogged over.

"What you got?" Charlie asked, walking with Sam who led him towards the kitchen.

"Looks like breaking and entering. The lock on the front door is broken due to force. Whoever it was – they _really_ wanted to get in." He said, taking Charlie to the kitchen where the FBI were taking pictures of the evidence. "Home belongs to a Bree Tanner and a Susan Grace."

"Bree Tanner?" Charlie balked as he turned to his partner.

"Yes sir, do you know her?" He asked and Charlie nodded his head, rubbing the five AM stubble across his chin. "So you can identify her?" He asked, Charlie narrowed his eyes at Sam to get to the point. "Well, Sir we found a body. A girl's. If you know Bree Tanner, than you could identify her." Sam asked, bringing the two of them around the island and to the white sheet that hid the body, splotches of blood covering some of the fabric. Sam knelt down and lifted the sheet, but ,thankfully ,Charlie didn't recognize the girl. He shook his head, it wasn't Bree. "Sir…" Sam began uncomfortably, "There is something else."

"Well?" Charlie fumed, "Out with it."

"It looks like the Volturi again, Sir." Sam added before taking Charlie up the stairs where more agents were swabbing doorknobs and flashing cameras at the door that looked to be rammed down by a bull. As they walked into the room at the end of the hallway, no one could miss the red V that was painted bed. Charlie turned to the green dresser across the room, seeing photo frames donning it elegantly. He noticed the one girl in all the pictures – Bree.

"This is Bree's room." Charlie concluded and everyone – including the FBI turned to him.

"Sir?" Sam asked in response.

"Get me fingerprints. Anything you can find. These fuckers had to leave _something_." And with that Charlie turned around and angrily began out of the house, knowing that this was some kind of game he really wasn't interested in playing – but had to in order to save his daughter and now another innocent girl.

Xx

The doors opened with a loud _thwack_ as it swung to the wall. Bella flinched for a moment before resuming her position curled up in her bed, her back towards the door. The shuffling continued, Bella's eyebrows knitted in confusion as it sounded like something was dragging along the concrete floor.

"Put her there." The distorted voice of the large brown eyed man said. Bella finally turned to see what was going on, watching as the brown eyed man and the skinny one drag a body in the room. Bella wanted to scream, wanted to ask them why they were doing this to her but she was frozen on the spot. The body had a bag over the head, and clearly whoever this was, it was a girl from her petite form. Bella didn't realize that she stopped breathing until her lungs ached. She let out a strangled sob, and the big brown eyed man glanced up to her.

"Got you a new cellmate." He chuckled, "I think you two have already been aquatinted." He reached down, grabbing the bag and pulling it off the girls head. Bella's heart leapt into her throat as soon she noticed the long dark brown hair, and familiar face.

"Bree!" Bella yelped, getting ready to jump forward to help her. But the brown eyed man flashed a gun near Bree's temple, and tsked his tongue. "You bastard…" Bella cried, shaking her head as she stayed in place in front of her bed. The brown eyed man just smirked, and shoved the unconscious Bree back on the floor before he and the other man left. Once Bella heard the clicks of the lock, she lunged forward to her friend who lay still on the ground. "Bree…" Bella began, lifting her head into her lap as she checked her vitals. All were there, and Bella let out a breath of relief.

But she also felt guilt.

Yes, the guilt was pulsing through her veins, because she knew why Bree was here. They must have tracked her through her cell phone because Bella had stupidly called her. Now Bree may just end up living the same fate that Bella has been for however long she had been stuck in this place. The tears were now slipping down her cheeks, she tried to ignore them and lifted her friend up and brought her to the bed.

_She needs the warmth more than I do._

Bella set Bree into the bed and wrapped her in the blanket, hoping that soon enough she would wake up and Bella could beg for her forgiveness.

Xx

Edward stood outside her door, his lips pressing together as his forehead rested against the cool metal. He knew she was going to throw a fit with him because of her friend. He knew she was going to hate him even more than she already did. For some reason, he felt sickened by that fact.

_What the hell is this girl doing to me? _

He took in a deep breath, knowing that he didn't have to go in there, but he just wanted to see how she was. Even though he knew he shouldn't, and even though he knew she annoyed him to no end – he couldn't stop thinking about her, and that just ate at him constantly. He didn't want to feel this way, but he couldn't turn his back on her.

He began unlocking the locks, then turned the knob and allowing the door to creak open. She wasn't on the bed. In fact, it was the girl, to Edward's surprise, who was on the bed, still knocked out. Bella sat by the lamp, playing with the hem of her shirt. Her head snapped up when she heard the door open, Her eyes narrowed at him. He gulped loudly, shutting the door behind him as he slowly backed up to his usual seat. Bella glared at him, once he sat down she tore her gaze away. It was quiet for the first few minutes, the air filled with a thick tension that circled around them. Edward set both elbows on his knees, his neck starting to sweat from the heat of the tension and of his mask. He hated wearing it, but knew that he would be utterly screwed if he took it off. Bella stayed still on the opposite side of the room, playing with the hem of her shirt that was a size too large for her.

Edward cleared his throat, and Bella's head snapped up as her glare was even harder. But before she could even engage in a colorful conversation, Bree muttered something from the bed. Bella launched herself at her, checking to make sure if she was awake. She realized that she was just muttering in her sleep, and had fallen back into unconsciousness.

Even with Bree being physically here, Bella felt alone.

She pushed the hair away from Bree's face, feeling the tears come to surface again as she noticed the bruise on her left cheek. Bella tried to hold in her sob, and did it quite successfully. She held it down in her chest, because she knew that she couldn't feel sorry for herself – not now. Not when she had her long time friend lying unconscious in front of her. There was no time to feel sorry for herself.

"You could have locked me away for ages and did whatever you wanted with me," She began in a hoarse whisper, "You didn't have to involve the people I love." She ended her statement with a clear sniff as she tucked the blanket in tighter around Bree to give her more warmth.

"Isabella…" She heard the green eyed man speak in a saddened tone, and something inside of her sparked. Like a wick to a flame. If you put it close enough, it will inevitably light and burn. Bella stood straight up and turned towards the man, the energy running through her high and fast as she breathed out of her nose.

"Don't you dare _Isabella_ me! You don't know me!" She paused to step closer, her finger point straight at his as he just watched in amazement. "You know nothing about me, and the fact that you think you can just walk in here and say my name like that as if you have known me for years sickens me." She hissed and the green eyed man sat back in his chair, taking what she was throwing.

"If you didn't call her…" He muttered, but Bella beat him to the punch and furiously shook her head.

"Then that would be my problem to bear! You could have killed me! Beaten me or even raped me, I don't care," The words coming out of her mouth stunned the green eyed man, and he felt sickened himself that she would have offered that just to spare a life. "But involving Bree in something that has nothing to do with her is where you crossed the line."

"I didn't want to involve her!" The green eyed man swore as he stood up, towering over her as he brought his hands into his chest. "I told…" He stopped to choose his words carefully, "I told _A_ that we shouldn't bring in someone else! You may not understand what we do, and that's fine. You may not like me, and I understand that. But I had your back on this one. I tried. Trust me."

"Why should I trust _you_?" She spat at him venomously. The green eyed man shifted from one leg to another, contemplating his next move.

"Trust in the unexpected." He murmured and Bella froze, her arms that were crossed her chest seemed to relax, and the crease on her brow smoothed out. The green eyed man stepped closer, and she felt her heart pounding as fast as a hummingbirds wings. Her mouth went dry as she could feel the some kind of tingling sensation passing from him to her. She felt as if they were the only ones in the room – that was until Bree let out a soft moan. She turned to Bree who began to awake, and then turned back to the green eyed man who stared at her with hope that she would trust him.

She could not. At least – not right now.

"Leave." She whispered. And her tone wasn't clipped or angry, but desperate and sad. The green eyed man nodded and backed off, leaving the room instantly. The tears pricked at Bella's eyes as she turned around, watching as Bree began stirring awake. She walked to the bed, knelling next to it as Bree's eyes opened and closed, blinking just before her hand went up to the back of her head, her lips suppressing a groan.

"Bree?" Bella asked softly, reaching out tentatively to touch her arm. "Bree, are you okay?"

"Bella?" Bree asked softly, her eyes blinking to adjust to the light above them. Her hand went to her forehead as she cupped it, taking in deep and shallows breaths. "What the hell happened?" She groaned, trying to lift her body up but failing when she realized that her kneecaps were sore. "What the hell happened to me?" She asked loudly, lifting only her upper body up. And then, something clicked inside of her head. Bree didn't know if it was from the lack of knowledge or the intense headache thumping through her brain, but it was actually Bella who stood next to her. Tears immediately formed in her eyes as she gulped, "Bella?"

"It's me." Bella said sorrowfully, but Bree was too happy to even recognize it. She cried in joy and reached forward with the strength she had and wrapped Bella in a hug, repeating the words _oh my god_ over and over again.

"I can't believe you're here! Did you know you've been missing for nearly two weeks? Where the hell have you been?" She asked over eagerly, and Bella gulped – realizing that Bree didn't know she had been kidnapped. Bella stayed silent once they pulled away, her body rocking back on her knees at the side of the bed as her lips stayed pressed into a hard line. Things began to work in Bree's head, she noticed the fact that Bella was wearing clothes she would never wear, not in a million years. A knit sweater was a size too big, a pair of sweats that didn't match what so ever. She knew Bella wasn't fashionable, but she also knew she wasn't fashionably stupid. And then Bree realized that she doesn't remember how she got here.

_Wherever here is. _

She doesn't remember falling asleep on this bed, or even seeing Bella before she had passed out. Suddenly, she realized she couldn't remember anything except for being at home and seeing…

"Susan!" Bree screamed, the tears now plowing out, "Where is Susan? Is she okay?"

"Susan?" Bella asked, shaking her head as she let out a strangled cough, "Who is Susan?"

"Susan is my roommate. She was on the floor…" It all was coming back to Bree now, and she could remember seeing Susan in a pile of her own blood, and then running back upstairs and calling the cops. And the last thing she remembered was turning around and seeing a man who stared down at her. Bree covered her mouth as she tried to control her sobs. "Bella where am I?"

"I..Don't…Know." Bella said regretfully as she glanced around the room, as if she was trying to see it from Bree's point of view. "I've been here the whole time. I haven't stepped out of this room for however long I've been missing."

"They've kept you in _here_?" Bree glanced around the room Bella had been stuffed in. The concrete walls, the lumpy bed, the moss growing in the corner of the rooms and worst of all – no window. Bella nodded her head, brushing her hair back as she let out a deep breath. "Do they feed you? Clothe you? Bella… God I'm so sorry."

Bella really didn't know how to respond to her apology, so instead just began answering her questions, "I get some meals. These clothes…" She shrugged down to what she was wearing, "They are someone else's. I have a shower in there," She paused, gesturing to the extra door in the room where Bree followed her gaze, tears forming in her eyes. It wasn't the fact that she was stuck here for God knows how long, but the fact that Bella had been here alone for almost two weeks. "It's really not as bad as it seems." Bella lied, trying to make light out of the situation. "I'm not being tortured or anything. They just want my stepdads money."

Bree glanced down at her, distracting her from the ugliness of the room. "That's all they want? Phil's money?" She asked in disgust, and shook her head. Bella finally stood up and moved herself onto the bed next to her friend, both of their backs resting against the wall behind them. "We'll be okay… Right?" Bella didn't say anything at first because she didn't know how to answer her question.

_Would we be okay?_

They never gave Bella an indication that she wouldn't be okay. It was clear they only wanted the money and hopefully once they got it she would be released. There was never a promise she would be let go, she had to hope for the best. So instead of showing her doubts, she turned to Bree and showed her hope and prayed that maybe it would rub off on her friend.

"We'll be okay." Bella finally answered, crossing her arms over her stomach as she let out a deep exhale of air. They went silent for a few minutes, words seemingly not being able to do enough to comfort them. They realized they were both trapped for however long it was going to be – but at least they had each other.

It seemed like weeks had past, but in actuality, it had only been a few days and Bree and Bella soon found out that even though you have someone else locked up with you, you can't do much in an empty room. The two had talked themselves out the first few days, but after awhile there was nothing left to talk about. They only began talking when necessary and the rest of the time they were silent, lost in their own thoughts.

As much as Bella liked the company of Bree, she still couldn't help but blame herself for her being here. Bella knew if she had just called the police in the first place Bree would have never been dragged into this mess. As Bella sat in the corner of the room, she looked to Bree who was sleeping on the small bed, her back moving slightly from her breaths and her hair splayed out across the pillow. Bella wondered what Charlie was doing then, wondered if he was trying to find them.

Then her thoughts drifted to her mother and how she would give anything to be back at her home in phoenix. As much as she didn't want to admit it, it was a mistake coming to Forks – leaving just because she couldn't handle the pressure of everything going on. What she would give to be able to ride on Adara right now. She wondered what her horse was doing, if she was okay, and if her mother held onto her promise to not train Adara until Bella returned home.

Bella's thoughts were disrupted by the locks on the other side of the door coming undone, her breathing hitched as she backed herself farther into the corner. Her breathing and body relaxed as she saw the green eyed man enter. It was the first time she had seen him in awhile, and couldn't help but wonder what he had been doing. The green eyed man carried to plates of food and Bella stood up, walking to him as she took one out of his hand, setting it on the bed side table. She didn't want to wake Bree, knowing that she was having trouble sleeping it seems like the first time in days she had finally been able to sleep deeply and peacefully.

Bella turned back around to the man, grabbing her plate from his grip but not moving. The two stood across from each other, catching both gazes – they locked on. For a moment Bella could see the sorrow in his green emeralds, see that he was apologizing for what had happened to her friend. He looked… Remorseful. The look was quickly torn away as the man turned around and left the room, leaving Bella standing there.

"Thank you." She whispered, knowing that he couldn't hear her.

Later in the day sleep had not come easily for Bella. She was haunted with different sorts of nightmares that left her awake for hours, and she only slept when her body begged for it. Tonight she was curled up on the small bed while Bree toyed around with her food in the chair where the green eyed man usually sat. Bella hadn't seen him in what feels like days, but she thought that maybe that was a good thing.

_The farther away from him – the better._

Sleep was beckoning her, and her eyelids drooping as her body attempted to get comfortable on the bumpy mattress. She was so close; she could feel herself drifting into unconsciousness right up until –

"God! I can't fucking take it anymore!" Bree screamed, startling Bella who inwardly groaned. Bree stood up and began pacing around the room, her breathing sporadic as if she were angry. "This is just… Too much! I don't know how you dealt with it for two weeks before I came along, but I can't fucking do it anymore!"

"I'm not living this way by choice, Bree." Bella muttered from the bed, still curled up and underneath the scratchy blanket.

"How can you be so… Calm? About all of this! Aren't you going out of your fucking mind? You must be! You've been here longer than I have!" Bree continued to ramble, and finally Bella shot up and directed her attention towards Bree who still paced.

"Of course I'm going crazy sitting here everyday. For God sake's I haven't even seen the sun in weeks! All I can do in here is try not to go crazy, because honestly I just can't deal with that." Bella moaned, as she shook her head. "But I can't do anything about this. Until they get their money I'm stuck in here – _we_ are stuck in here."

Bella laid back down, her back towards Bree as she tried to sleep once more.

"Have you even tried?" Bree asked, causing Bella to hit her forehead in frustration. "I mean, we could just ambush them when they come in, right?"

"It doesn't work like that, Bree!" Bella snapped, "These people are dangerous. It's not like the movies! They will kill us if they have to, showing no mercy." Bella had already ticked them off once with the phone, that is what landed Bree here, she was not willing to make that mistake again, "I've tried everyth—." Bella froze in thought, her lips pressing together as ideas began filtering in her head. Bree turned to her friend who went silent, her eyes narrowing as she looked upon Bella's face.

"You got something?" Bree asked, Bella nodded.

"Something." She replied.

Xx

"God, Bella…" Bree tapped her leg anxiously, "You know I was just fucking kidding with that whole breaking out thing right?" Bree knew Bella's plan was nearly flawless, which was better than nothing – but she was second guessing herself and this whole plan.

"Can't take back your word now." Bella said from the bathroom as she easily removed the metal bar from the rusted shower. It was nearly a foot and a half long and heavy enough to knock someone out – or even kill them. Bella felt the weight of it in her hand, and then set it near the sink before walking out to her friend who continually tapped her leg against the floor. "Hey…" Bella laughed, shaking her head. "This will work."

"What if it doesn't? We don't even know where we are!" Bree cried as her body began shaking.

"All you have to do is sit there. Leave the rest to me." Bella muttered just as the locks on the door began to unlock. She hurried to the bathroom, picking up the shower bar and turning on the water as she hid behind the bathroom door.

The plan wasn't fool proof. But Bella knew it was just a matter of how much of fool you decide to act during the plan.

Bree turned on her side and away from the door as she hid her face, hearing the door swing open. Felix walked in fully masked with two plates filled with food and two water bottles. He noticed Bree on the bed, and heard the water from the shower – the door wide open. Felix smirked to himself and put down the food as he began towards the bathroom.

Bella heard his footsteps, her breathing hitched as she gripped the bar harder.

"Little Bella…" Felix said in a singing voice as he stepped in the bathroom, it now bathed in fog. "Come out and play." He smirked, passing the small corner behind the door where she was hidden. Felix gripped the shower door and swung it open, his smirk only falling when she wasn't in there.

Bella slammed the door shut with her foot, and Felix didn't even have time to turn around before Bella smashed the bar into his head. It only took one hit to knock him down. Felix's body fell with a loud thud and Bella dropped the bar instantly, leaning down and gripping his keys from his pocket as she jumped over the body and out the door.

"Come on!" Bella whispered to Bree who shot out of the bed. The two of them walked to the closed door, and Bella opened it – gulping as she snuck her head out and looked left to right. It was clear. She gripped Bree's hand and the two walked out of the room, heading up the long staircase and reaching the door at the top.

"Bella…" Bree cried as she looked back at their open door where Felix was still laying in. The door at the top of the staircase was locked, and Bella was trying to figure which key was the right lock. There were nearly eight keys on the ring, and Bella tried every single one until the last one unlocked the door. She slowly opened it as she peaked her head through. When the coast was clear the two girls quietly sneaked out of the door, but stopped when they saw what was in front of them.

"What the _fuck_?" Bree gasped at the many doors that shrouded the hallway. "Which one is it?" She cried from behind Bella, who was just as clueless as her. "What the hell are we going to do?"

"We are going to pick." Bella said, "What's your favorite number?"

"I don't know? Seven?" Bree shrugged, and the two moved towards door number seven. She listened intently on the other side hearing – music? Bella opened it softly, looking in to meet yet another staircase.

"Come on." Bella gripped Bree's hand, the two of them flying up the stairs – but when they hit the middle the door at the top opened. Bella was connected with a pair of blue eyes and blonde hair – the girl gaped at Bella as if she had a second head growing out of her shoulder. "Go!" Bella yelled at Bree, shoving her down the stairs. The two fled down the flight of steps and walked back into the room of doors. Voices were now heard coming from the staircase they had just left, and Bella began to panic.

"Bella!" Bree cried, the two of them stuck. Bella's eyes gazed over every door and around the hallway, and finally she gripped Bree's hand and ran to door number one, but before Bella could even step inside something had pulled her – it was Bree. Bree was screaming as someone had caught her, and Bella threw herself for her friend, gripping whoever it was by the shoulder and fighting them off of Bree. The man began clawing at Bella, holding her back as someone else intervened.

Something hit against Bella's head, and the next thing she felt was the coolness of the floor against her cheek.

Xx

Darkness.

It shrouded Bella's entire existence, crashing over her in lapses of waves. The blackness engulfed her, holding her under until she began hearing things. She could feel her head lolling from side to side, and the numbness that overtook her body was wearing off. She could feel her legs, stretch them and realize that she was standing. The numbness began wearing off in her middle, and finally spreading away from her arms, that she realized were suspended above her. Finally, the cloudiness that was crowding around in her head faded, and she could feel everything again.

Her ears became more aware of the sounds around her and she could hear chuckling and crying, someone crying for her. Bella moaned softly, feeling hands across her back as her head leaned over, and the voice of Bree calling out her name once again. Finally her eyelids weren't heavy anymore and she was able to open them, her lips pursing as she saw Bree from across from her, her hands wound around her back and her legs tied. Bella's eyes narrowed in confusion, because she could still feel the hands on her back and she quickly hissed when she realized that the hands were slipping up the back of her shirt.

She tried to move her arms but just like she felt, they were suspended above her. She glanced up, seeing her hands tied together, attached to a pipe that came out of the wall and moved back in the concrete. She tried to wiggle her hands out of the rope, but they were no use – the rope was tied too tightly. Bella yelped again as the hands touched her bra strap, and instinctively her foot went back, hitting the person right in the groin, a loud moan producing behind her as the body fell over. The man who stood behind Bree, one Bella hadn't recognized before with hazel eyes laughed at the man who had just fallen over.

Suddenly a hand was wrapped around Bella's neck, causing her to whimper as she felt something sharp against the hollow of her neck. "You test me little girl." Said the voice, and Bella recognized the brown eyed man's gravely tone. Tears sprung to her eyes as the pointed object began to break a small wound.

"Bella! Let her go you fucking bastard!" Bree screamed, but Bella shook her in order to keep her friend quiet. Whatever was puncturing her throat had dropped, but Bella could feel a little trickle of blood run down her throat, disappearing beneath her shirt. The next thing she knew, another pair of hands held her head down, forcing her to watch the brown eyed man who brought up his mask, only enough for her to see his lips. His finger tugged at the V of her shirt where he ripped it down the middle, the sounds of buttons hitting the hard ground enveloped her, her bra now exposed to the room. Bree screamed for Bella again, but Bella kept quiet because that was the only thing she could to in order to survive.

Bella wanted to turn away and not see what he was going to do next, but her head was forced down – so she closed her eyes. She felt a hard kick in her ribs, and she exhaled a breath of air.

"Keep your eyes open!" Screamed the brown eyed man who resumed his position beneath her, Bella's eyes opened reluctantly as she watched in horror. His tongue stuck out, dipping into Bella's cleavage and running all the way up to her throat, licking away the blood. Bella was disgusted at this man and had every urge to kick him – this time even harder. But she kept her legs to herself in order to avoid this situation again.

"Felix." A woman's voice said from behind Bella, and she realized it was the blue eyed girl who was holding her head. The blue eyed girl dropped Bella's head which her chin dipped into her chest, tears still producing around her eyes. She could smell the blood that the man had so eagerly just swept up from her neck, and the thought of it made her sick to her stomach. Bella held down her vomit and watched as the blue eyed girl and the brown eyed man, whose mask was fully down now, moved in front of her, both of them eyeing her skeptically.

The door behind them near Bree opened, and Bella watched through her tears as two men stood in the doorway, one of them was the green eyed man. He gazed over the room, his gaze finally meeting hers. He took in her appearance and his eyes narrowed, his fists clenching at his side and looked as if he were angry - or disgusted. Bella looked away in shame.

"Ah. Miss. Swan." An unfamiliar feathery voice whispered through the wind that came with the open door. Bella turned back to the green eyed man, looking at the man standing next to him. His eyes were a crystal blue, his hands pale and as white as snow, and he adorned an Armani suit. Bella didn't have to guess to know that this was the leader of the group – this was the boss. This was _A_. The man walked past Bree, shooting her a look as she looked back at him with disgust. His Italian leather shoes clicked against the concrete floor, his eyes darting back to Bella who stood solid under his gaze.

This gathering of everyone was undoubtedly about Bree and Bella's attempt of escape. She didn't know what the consequences were going to be – but she didn't show any sign of distress on her face. She had to stay strong.

"Miss. Swan," _A_ repeated again, standing a few feet in front of her. Bella looked away in repugnance, "You are a very eager one, aren't you? First with the phone dilemma, and now this?" _A_ chuckled, narrowing his eyes at her as the traveled down to her ripped shirt. "I see that Felix had put his hands on you." She couldn't tell if he was angry or surprised, but either way she felt the vile creeping back up her throat. But Bella knew better than to backtalk these people after what happened with Green eyes, after he pushed her against the wall. And that was only him – she can't even imagine what would happen if she said something to the rest of them who didn't seem to be as careful as green eyes.

Apparently, Bree didn't catch this memo.

"You lousy fucking scum!" Bree yelled from behind _A_, and Bella gaped at her, quickly shaking her head. "What do you expect us to do? Sit here in rot? Fuck you! Fuck all of you and your pathetic excuses to get money! You are wretched!" Bree than spat at the floor, it hitting the blue eyed girls shoes, and it only took a few seconds for the blue eyed girl to work up the nerve and lunge herself at Bree.

"Bree!" Bella gasped out as she watched her friend who was tied up take this hits. The blue eyed girl was like a cat, scratching and clawing Bree's face, leaving trails of blood and bruises that appeared within a matter of seconds. "Stop it! Stop!" Bella screamed from the corner, but no one seemed to notice her – no one except the green eyed man who stood near the door, unmoving and unyielding.

"Get off me you bitch!" Bella heard Bree screeched from the corner, and Bella's heart was pounding from the anxiety that her friend was nearly being beaten to death in the corner.

"Jane." _A_ said, his posture stiff and steady as the girl, Jane, lifted off from Bree. Jane was a little girl – possibly a few years younger than Bella, but she packed a punch. Bree was bleeding all over her face, and Bella gaped in horror.

"Burn in hell, bitch." Bree said just before spitting out a tooth, it landing an inch away from Jane who controlled herself to not lunge back for Bree. _A_ stepped around the tooth, hissing in disgust before he turned back to Bella who looked up at him, her eyes watering as she tried to move her wrists out of the rope once again. _A_ glided in front of Bella, knelling down in front of her as his fingers reached out to touch her cheek. His fingers were cold and icy, and Bella winced as he brought his fingers down to her chest. She looked away, catching the gaze of Green eyes who seemed to be clenching his fists tighter.

"You know what we have to do, right?" He whispered to her, Bella's eyes narrowed at him, confused and perplexed. She turned to the brown eyed man, Felix, who gestured towards Bree and then with his thumb, ran it across his throat. Bella's eyes widened as she shook her head, tears falling as she couldn't find her words – the only thing that came out was a strangled sob.

"No! No, please, don't." She cried, pleading, "She had nothing to do with the plan, it was all my idea! Please don't… Kill me! Take me!" Bella sobbed uncontrollably, but _A_ had already made his decision and snapped his fingers, "God! No! Please, just stop!" Felix had grabbed Bree by her waist, leaning down and cutting the rope around her feet in order for her to stand up. Felix brought her up to his chest, holding her back there as Bree looked at Bella frantically. "Stop! Just… Fucking stop! Please!"

"_A_…" Green eyes said from the corner, his eyes widened with panic. _A_ shot him a glare, forcing him back near the entrance of the door, his head falling as if he were being scolded like a child.

Bella struggled against the rope, moving to try and wiggle herself out despite the burns that were adoring the skin of her wrists. She cried as blood began dripping down her arm, the blade of Felix's knife setting against the right side of Bree's neck. Felix looked up at Bella who cried even louder, and though she couldn't see it – she knew he was smirking. A stood near the green eyed who watched hopelessly in the corner, knowing that his interaction wouldn't do anything good.

And with a nod from _A_, Bella's scream was the last thing that Bree heard.

Xx

Edward sat outside of the building, his fingers rubbing the stubble on his chin as he tried to get the image of a tied up Isabella out of his head. He could still hear her screams, could still hear her begging them to not kill her friend. He watched the whole thing play out from the corner, and at one point intervened. Aro was quick to glare at him, Edward stepped back with a gulp and a sense of dread that washing over him like a wave.

Edward watched Bella cry and plead, watched as she struggled against the rope and he even winced at the blood that began covering her arm. Her neck was smeared with blood as well and he knew the moment he walked into that room that Felix had touched her, had ripped open her shirt and hurt her in some way – emotionally or physically. Edward crushed the beer can in his hand, thinking of ways that he was going to make Felix pay.

_No one touches her but me_.

The thought baffled Edward, and he tried to shake it but it stayed there with him as if it was engrained in his mind. "Motherfucker." Edward spat, realizing that he couldn't get her out of his head. He was angry and fucking livid at not only Felix but himself.

_You cannot fucking think about her like that. She is not your property; you have no ownership of her_.

He knew that if he felt like he needed to protect her, than actually feelings weren't far behind and that scared the shit out of him. But Edward couldn't help but feel overprotective of her, and of course the guilt. The guilt was eating at him now as he remembered her screams, and right when the blade cut into Bree Tanner's skin, even Edward had to close his eyes right along with Bella.

If it brought her pain, then it brought him pain.

His hands went into his wild hair, his eyes closing as he took in deep breaths. He had no idea what to do. "Edward?" The voice of Alec disrupted his thoughts, and Edward straightened up, clearing his throat as he shot Alec a glare. "What's up man?"

"Nothing." Edward said gruffly, as he rubbed at his chin.

"Well I'm the last one out." He gestured at the building.

"And the body?" Edward asked, his shoulder sliding downwards at the thought of it.

"Caius and Felix took care of it." Alec responded as he slung his bag over his shoulder, his lips pressing together as he watched Edward's shoulders square, his body language seemingly off. "Dude you sure you okay?" Alec asked and Edward turned towards him, the hatred glowing in his eyes caused Alec to wince slightly, holding his hands up in surrender before turning around and walking to his car.

Edward dragged himself inside, closing the door behind him and locking it. His forehead rested against the cold glass door, the blinking bar lights flashing in the reflection as he tried to gather up the courage to go to her. She would still be tied up, and she deserved at least to cry in her bed tonight. Her tears should not be shed while she was tied up. Edward finally pushed himself off the glass, pulling out his mask and shoving it on over his face as he headed down the stairs. He walked through the many doors, unlocking and locking the doors before he reached hers. He touched the door knob but stopped as he sucked in a staggering breath. What would he say? What would he do if she yelled at him?

_Good for her. I need someone to yell in my face._

Edward turned around the many locks before twisting the knob, feeling the door open just a crack. Her whimpers filled the air and Edward's heart broke. He walked in, seeing her still tied to the pipe, her chin down to her chest as her brown hair created a shield around her. He glanced to the side, seeing a puddle of blood still sprayed across the concrete floor, his lips pressing together just before reaching in his pocket and reaching for his William Henry knife and walking towards the limp body.

Bella didn't look at Edward as he began cutting the rope, her eyes too blurred with tears, but when one hand became free Bella had an idea. She pressed her lips together, waiting for him to cut her other hand out and once it was free Bella used both her palms, shoving him away with as much force as she could.

The hit caused Edward to fly backwards, the knife dropping from his grip as he fell onto the floor. Bella lunged herself for the knife, grabbing it with both hands as she turned back to Edward. He laid frozen on his elbows as she hovered over him, the knife pointed right at him. Edward knew she wasn't going to do anything – he could tell by her awkward stance and the knife that was shaking due to her hands, but it was interesting enough to watch.

Bella couldn't stop her hands from moving – she had held a knife before but she had never directed it at someone with the intent of killing them. She blinked her eyes; the tears that were settled around the brown stones began to filter out and down her pale cheek. She breathed sporadically, her lips pressing together as Edward began to crawl.

"Don't move!" Bella screamed inching the blade closer. Edward held his hands up in surrender and Bella made the mistake of looking at him in the eyes. The emerald ovals were staring into her brown ones with an emotion that she couldn't just quite put her finger on. He looked at her with hope – hope that she would do it, that she would send the dagger right through his heart.

He was testing her.

That's when the gates opened, and every single ounce of emotion began to fill Bella's body. Her friend was dead because of her – because of her attempt to escape that failed miserably. The only person Bella had to blame was herself, and this very fact alone forced her to break down. And as much as she wanted to kill this man for being apart of a group that killed her friend, deep down inside she knew she can't – and she knew not only because she wasn't that kind of person – but because to her, she actually cared for him.

That's when the knife slipped out of her hands and rattled against the floor. Bella let out a loud, choking sob and fell to her knees. She brought her arms to her face, the dried blood on her skin becoming wet again from her tears, smearing over her cheek. Edward didn't move and just watched her fall, watched in fascination at such a captivated creature. She wanted to do it – he could tell she wanted to do it, but she didn't because she couldn't. If it was Edward and he wanted to do it, he would have – if that meant he could survive. He wouldn't have given it a second thought. And that is what completely blew him away because of the simple fact that she just _couldn't_ do it.

_She cares about me. _

Edward slowly stood up and made his way towards her carefully, as if approaching a scared animal; one wrong move and it could bolt off. His mind wasn't sure of what to do, but his heart was leading him and he stood on his knees and edged closer to the crying, broken girl. Edward reached out his hand, gently placing it on her arm as he wanted to inspect her wounds. As undone as Bella was she would have allowed him to do anything, thus giving him access to her wrists. They were red all the way around the surface, dry blood staining and new blood still leaking. He grabbed her closer, his hands skimming down her arm and to her shoulders that were shaking.

Before he knew it she threw herself at him, her arms wrapping around his neck as she sobbed into his shirt. Edward was stunned because he was never this close to a woman unless they were in bed together – so this was very new to him, but it didn't take a rocket science to know what to do next. Slowly his hands skimmed down her arms and to her waist where he wrapped himself against her tightly, smelling the scent of strawberries that lingered in her hair. He closed his eyes trying to remember this moment over and over again. He wanted it permanently stained in his brain – forever.

It was the intimacy that Edward never knew existed.

And it was the intimacy that he desperately needed.

* * *

**Author's Note; I know, Edward's soft spot is showing. I know there isn't much dialogue between these two just yet, but it'll come very soon. **

**Poor Bree! Poor Bella! Good thing she has Edward there. **

**Alright you guys, guess what? We reached 100 reviews! I was so happy. Thanks so much, let's aim for 200 now, kay?**

**Review if you loved this chapter.**

**Review if you hate this chapter. **

**Just tell me, let me know what you think!**

**I fucking love you guys.**

**xoxo **

**p.s. follow me on twitter! **

**www(dot)twitter(dot)com/xbitterangelx**


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Charlie's eyes scanned the ceiling, the sun lifting just above the horizons and producing bright and vivid colors to stream across his room. He hadn't slept in two nights, so the colors were very entertaining – his brain fried on the lack of sleep and all the coffee he drank. Charlie lifted himself from bed and headed downstairs to the kitchen where he began to brew a pot of coffee. As he waited for it, his hands went to his face – rubbing it sporadically as he let out a deep breath of air.

His hands dropped and he noticed a picture of Bella on his fridge. He walked to it, grabbing it from the magnet and stared down at the dark brown eyes that reflected and mirrored his. Oh, how he wished he could be with her right now – save her from wherever she was. He pressed a kiss to the picture and set it back on the fridge. He turned towards the coffee and made himself a cup.

As the morning rolled on, Renee and Phil ended up back at his place. Charlie wasn't too thrilled whereas Phil was concerned, but he knew Renee was deeply hurting just like he was – and she couldn't do it without Phil. Hell, they couldn't do anything without Phil. It was his money that these bastards wanted. More of Charlie's men began filing in, going over clues for the hundredth time and trying to find any prints that they could on Bella's truck which was now restored in the driveway.

Once the afternoon had rolled in, Charlie dragged himself out to the mailbox and gathered the envelopes and magazines. He headed inside and read bill after bill, he had stopped at one letter with no return address and only one line written across the envelope.

_**To the parents of Isabella Swan**_.

Charlie had stumbled inside, still staring down at the envelope. This was it. He knew it, deep down – that this was the letter that would determine his daughters future.

"Charlie?" Renee said, sensing her ex-husbands distress. Charlie looked up at Renee for just a second before opening the envelope very carefully. He took out the letter and carefully unfolded it as he began to read…

_**To the parents of Isabella Swan, **_

_**You may now take a breath of relief, because I can assure you that your daughter is in very good hands. We make sure she is clothed daily, properly fed, and given the attention that she deserves. With that being said, in order for you to see her again you must be willing to play your part of the game. **_

_**We have already decided that we want nothing but Phil Dwyer's money, and we have all come to a mutual agreement here of the payment. Your daughter is worth more than you think – and if you truly love her then you'll be able to pay the amount no questions asked.**_

_**Eight hundred thousand dollars.**_

_**We will divide this up by two weeks. At the end of this Friday you will have four hundred thousand ready for us. Location is still being determined. **_

_**A father would do anything for his daughter, correct? Do this right, and in no time you will get her back.**_

_**We will contact you soon with the location.**_

_**Let the fun begin.**_

_**V **_

Xx

Bella sat at the bottom of the shower, her body bare as she allowed the water to hit the top of her head and roll down her back. Her legs were tucked up, her chin resting against her knees as her fingers tangled together to hold her legs up. The tears were invisible against the backdrop of the water, her lips mounting into a frown as she tried to remove the image of Bree's dead body from her mind. It was permanently stained – and she feared she would never be able to forget it. She could still hear the slicing of skin against blade, and the sound echoed inside of her – like a song on infinite repeat.

Bella knew it was her fault. A part of her didn't want to believe it, knew that if she did then there would be no chance of her moving on – but the bigger part of her laughed at her, pointing fingers and chanting that she killed Bree.

_You killed Bree, you killed Bree, you killed Bree_.

It was as if her subconscious was torturing her, causing her internal pain as she tried to just forget. But Bella knew – she knew both inside and out that if they had just stayed put like they were suppose to, then Bree would still be with her. Granted they'd still be held hostage, but she would still be alive. A strangled sob released from her chest, her hands moving to her face as her body began to shake. She was stuck in hell and she didn't know how to get out.

Eventually Bella lifted herself out of the shower and put on some clean clothes, shoving the dirty ones in the pile that was still left there from when she had arrive however many weeks ago. She fell down onto the bed and covered herself up in the thin sheets, her body shivering from the lack of covers that she is given, her body still wet from the shower. The tears were no longer producing, her eyes dry and her throat parched as she tried not to think about everything that happened.

She was doing fine up until she heard the door open. She stiffened instinctively and hoped to God it wasn't the brown eyed man, Felix. Instead she heard feet shuffling and an object clank against another.

"I brought you some food." The voice was none other than green eyes and she knew immediately. The last time she had saw him was when she collapsed in his arms after threatening him that she would kill him. Bella held the knife in her hand above green eyes and watched as he looked at her with hope – hope that she would drive it right into his skin. That's when she knew she didn't want to be like _them_ and even more she could never harm him, even if she desperately wanted to and she hated that. She hated that it only took one look in his eyes and she felt every ounce of pain she knew he felt.

She hated him, but needed him at the same time. That was her downfall.

Bella moved from the wall and towards the small bedside table where green eyes had laid her food down, their eyes catching just for a second as he sat down in his chair. The chair was conveniently above the blood stain because green eyes knew Bella wouldn't be able to handle herself if she had to stare at it everyday. She respected him for his actions and even more it made her hate him a little less. She wasn't hungry, but she knew it annoyed him when she didn't eat. Bella sat up, grabbing the plate and setting it down onto her lap as she began picking at the food. She noticed the burger but only chewed on some fries as they room was thick with silence. Bella's stomach felt upset so she pushed the plate back onto the table and reached for her glass of water, sipping on it until there was only half a glass left. She lay back down, but this time with her back against the bed and her eyes on the dark ceiling.

"You should eat more." Green eyes said from the corner, watching her like a hawk. Bella shook her head, wiping away a lone tear that had slipped out.

"I'm not hungry." It was barely a whisper, but because there was nothing but silence in the room he could understand her perfectly. Green eyes let out a soft breath of air as Bella glanced over at him.

"You need to eat, Isabella." He said sternly, and something about how he said her name shot a feeling through her body. Bella looked back to the ceiling and decided to just not respond – she didn't have the energy to argue. Bella pulled the covers over her head, feeling her body was rehydrated enough to start the tears. She was silent for the most part besides the soft sniffles, her hands always catching the tears before they fell on the sheets.

On the other side Edward felt like someone was stabbing him, taking the knife and twisting it until he could no longer take the pain. He hated when she cried – and even more hated it when he knew he was the one who made her cry. He had a strange feeling to go to her, to hold her in his arms as he wiped her tears but he knew that he couldn't. When she fell into his arms the other night and he held her till she went to sleep was just a once and a lifetime deal. It was a moment of weakness, and he was sure would probably never happen again.

_After all, she does hate me._

The words caused Edward to flinch, his lips pressing together as his hands covered his ears. The strange feeling of going to her wouldn't cease to end, and at one point he felt his feet inching forward. If he couldn't go to her, then he would talk to her – it was the only thing he could do to keep his mind off of her.

"I'm sorry." He blurted out of pity, and the sniffles stopped causing him to relax. Bella shifted in her bed and turned towards him, sitting up as the sheets fell off and onto her lap. "Fuck," He began, his hands wanting to run through his hair but denied because of the mask. "I can't do this right." Bella looked at him with narrowed eyes, trying to decipher what he was trying to say. "I didn't want her to die. And I'm fucking sorry you had to go through that."

"Why?" She asked abruptly and Edward snapped his head up to look at her. "The rest of them aren't sorry. So why are you apologizing?" Her voice was a soft whisper once again, but Edward heard her loud and clear. His eyes were heavy and his arms were sore from his heavy lifting earlier, but none of it could compare to the weight of this question that was bearing on his shoulders.

"I don't know." He said flatly, because it was the truth. He had no idea why he was apologizing. Could it possibly be because he felt some kind of foreign emotion attached to her? He thought about it for a moment, trying to shake the feeling because he knew he couldn't get involved with her. He already feared that it was too late.

"If you were sorry…" Bella began with a dry throat, "Then you would let me go."

"You know I can't do that." Edward responded curtly. He wasn't even sure if he wanted to let her go, even if he did have the chance. _That would mean I would never see her again_. The thought disturbed him right to his core because he feared never being able to see her again, but even more he feared the fact that he doesn't want to let her go. It could cause some problems in the future, and Edward knew he had to break this bond he had with her.

"Why? Why can't you at least let me talk to my parents? For all they know, I'm dead! Can't you just give me that?" She cried, now standing up and ready to plead on her knees if it came to that.

"They'll track our phone, we'll get caught." He added, but Bella obviously didn't care about that. She scoffed and turned around, her feet cold on the bare concrete floor as she walked back to her bed. "I have it on good authority that your father is already tracking phone calls coming in and out from both the police station and his house."

That's when Bella snapped her head towards him, her lips pursing together as she played with a strand of her hair. "He is?" Her voice was soft, with a hint of surprise in it.

"Do you expect any less? You're his only daughter. I'd do the same if it were me." Edward shrugged and Bella slowly nodded – she knew Charlie loved her, but didn't know he would jump through so many hoops to get her back. "And I know your mother is with him. As well as Dwyer."

"Mom?" She asked quickly and Edward nodded. "Well… If Phil is here, then why… Why don't you just get the money and let me go?"

"_But yet thou shalt have freedom_." He promised her through quotes and yet again – she recognized but ignored it. "The FBI is involved too. _A_ is trying to figure out how to get the money without getting caught. Plus, they don't even know if you're alive or not. They are taking our word, but they don't know or even trust us." Edward shrugged and leaned back against the chair. He knew he should keep his mouth shut. She already knew too much as it was, but he couldn't stop it. It was as if he was talking to an old friend – the two catching up on what's been going on in their lives.

"Then let me talk to them! Take me somewhere, and let me reassure them that I'm okay!" Bella suggested, but Edward was already shaking his head. "You won't get your money until they know I'm alive. You know that's true. You need to do this."

"You don't know what I need to do." Edward said roughly as he rubbed his chin. He knew she was right – but Aro would never go for it.

"You know this has to happen. It's the only way. They won't pay up unless they know I'm alive." She whispered, and Edward looked at her with wide brown eyes. She looked at him with hope but with a mixture of fear at the same time – she was pleading for him to do this – she needed him to do this.

And how could he possibly say no to her?

Xx

Edward gulped as he stood right behind Bella, feeling a wisp of brown locks touch his chin. He could take in the scent of her, but contained himself as he brought his hands that had a piece of cloth in it around her head, tying it tightly behind her. "Isabella…" He began softly, feeling her tilt her head to indicate that she was listening. "I have to tie your hands together. It's just precaution. Try not to wiggle too much or you'll injury your rope burns even more." He said and Bella just nodded as she felt him tie her hands behind her back. He didn't want to do it – and instead would rather just walk her out here like a normal human being, but he knew he couldn't. He was already doing enough to get himself killed – he couldn't chance her knowing her whereabouts.

Edward moved in front of her, watching as her chest raised and fell repeatedly. He waved his hand in front of the blindfold but she didn't move. He knew he was safe. He gripped his mask and took it off, shoving it into his back pocket as he gulped. It was the first time he had ever been in her presence without his mask on. Apart of him want to put it back on just for identity protection – there was no doubt in his mind that if she saw him he would be the first to get thrown in jail if they had ever found the Volturi. Another part of him wanted the blindfold to slip off, so she could see him for who he really is – that he does care even if he may not want to.

"I don't want to put something over your mouth." He told her truthfully, "Please don't make me regret that." He didn't want to panic her even more by gagging her, so he hoped to God she wouldn't scream right when they left the building. Just in case, he had more fabrics to close her mouth. "You ready?" He asked, and Bella nodded. "Do you trust me?" He asked in a soft whisper, and Bella stood still, her lips parting as she nodded her head.

"Yes." She whispered, sending a wave of emotions through his body. Edward ignored them and gently grabbed her arm, guiding her out of the room. He stopped just shy of the stairs, telling her to step up and holding her elbow to give her extra support. Once they reached the top, Edward unlocked the door and led her through all the way to the other set of stairs.

Finally they had reached the empty strip club and Edward guided her past tables and the stage until they reached outside. Bella took in the familiar cold weather – she knew she couldn't be out of Washington. Outside air filled her senses and she took it in up until she heard a car door slide open. "Step up." Edward said, helping her lift herself and into a seat. Once she was settled, Edward jogged to the driver's side and slid up into the van.

It was going to be a long drive.

Bella could feel and hear the car vibrating to life, her body alert and focused even though one of her senses was cut off. She thought of trying to undo the rope, but decided against it. She had too many strikes against her, and the green eyed man promised her something as well as she promised him to not go against him. She wanted to go against her own word, but she knew that it would only lead to a bad path whether it was her or his life at risk. She knew he didn't tell the others about what he was doing and she had hopes that maybe he would pity her and just let her go – but he was smarter than that and she knew it. The drive seemed to be hours long – it was silent except for the small radio that cut in and out of frequencies.

_This is KOHU for all your music entertainment in all of Oregon_.

"Oregon?" Bella finally had spoken up, listening as the dial of the volume turned down. "Why are we in Oregon?" She asked, but the man didn't say anything. It was about another thirty minutes and Bella had finally felt the car pull to a stop. Her heart was pounding, beating rapidly against her chest as she heard the key turn off the ignition. A door opened and closed and Bella began to feel her mouth go dry. She screamed at the sudden abruptness of the door next to her sliding open. She felt warm hands against her face, gently pulling the blindfold off.

The streetlamp next to the car caused her eyes to slit, her tongue wetting her lips as she looked to the green eyed man, still decked out in his mask. He grabbed her arm gently and helped her out of the car. Bella looked around, seeing nothing but a deserted road with no cars coming to or from – it was if civilization didn't even exist.

The green eyed man had walked her to a silver opening, and Bella realized it was a phone booth. The light above it made things easier to see, her lips pressing together as she glanced back at her hands that were still tied. The green eyed man followed her gaze and laughed as he shook his head, gripping the phone himself. He didn't trust her. And why should he? He knew if he untied her she would have tried to run away. She watched as the green eyed man shoved a few quarters into the slot, setting the phone to his ear to listen to the dial tone. "What's the number?" He asked. Bella tightly closed her eyes as she tried to remember, and recited it once it came to her. "Keep it light. Don't try and give them any kind of information. I'm doing this for you. Don't fuck it up." He told her and she nodded. Green eyes held the phone to her ear and she listened as it buzzed, her eyes beginning to tear up as she hoped someone would just pick up.

"_Hello_?" A groggy voice came to life, but Bella knew exactly who it was.

"Dad?" She whispered, her voice not being able to come out strongly due to it being parched and dry.

"_Bella? Jesus, is that you?_" He asked, his voice now alert. Something clattered in the background and Bella could hear loud footsteps. "_Bells? Honey, are you there?_"

"I'm here." She told him, her eyes wondering to the green eyed man who stared down at her.

"_Bella, where are you? I need you to tell me exactly where you are._" Charlie panicked, and Bella's gaze stayed on the green eyes as she knew he was warning her to _keep it light_. She nodded in understanding as her throat began to become alive once again.

"I don't know, I just… They wanted me to call you to tell you that I'm okay. And I'm safe." It was all she could say right now, but the voice in her head was screaming at Charlie to help save her. She bit down on her bottom lip and closed her eyes as she tried to keep the voice at bay.

"_Bells, are they hurting you? Are you in any pain? You need to tell me where you are!_" Charlie was now annoyed – not with her, but with himself.

"No, they aren't hurting me. I'm not in any pain. And I don't know. I only have a little amount of time, dad… I just… I wanted you to know I'm still alive." Bella's voice broke, and tears began pouring out. Edward turned his head, too fragile to watch her break in front of him. "Dad, they killed Bree." This is what snapped Edward's head back to Bella, and she gazed at him with watery brown eyes.

_Trust me. _

It's what her eyes said and Edward flinched, but nodded his head and looked the other way before he could witness anymore falling tears.

"_They…What?_" Charlie asked; stunned.

"They killed her. I tried… I tried to stop them but…" Her voice was cracking again and betraying her, but she instead sniffled and decided to not continue.

"_Is that Bella?_" A voice, her mother, said from beyond the phone.

"Mom?" Bella screamed into the phone.

"_Bella? Sweetie! Is that you?_" Renee asked – already sobbing before the phone even set against her ear.

"Mom… I'm okay." Bella said, reassuring her before she could ask the question.

"_Oh, sweetie. We are going to get you home. I swear to you. Okay?_" Renee cried between sobs, "_Don't be afraid. Okay? Don't you lose hope. We are looking for you! We will get you back!_" Renee vowed and Bella felt her tears continue to fall, a strangled sob left her mouth as she nodded.

"Mom, they want Phil's money." Bella cried.

"_I know sweetie, we will get it worked out. Phil already has half of the money ready, don't you worry about that._" Renee tried to instill hope into her daughter; Bella was catching – like always, she was worried about someone other than herself – about how this would affect Phil and his company.

"How much?" Bella asked, and Edward shot her a look.

"_Honey, you don't concern yourself over that okay? You be strong. You do what you have to do, and you let us figure out the rest, alright? We are going to get you back, I swear._" Renee sobbed and Bella nodded, but was well aware her mother couldn't see it. "_We are all waiting for you, honey. You'll be home soon. Don't you worry, Okay? We love you._"

"I love you." Bella said just before the phone was taken from her and set on the receiver. The conversation was too short, when she heard the click Bella let out a loud cry and fell to the floor, huddling herself in the corner. Edward expected it, even more he allowed her to do so – she needed to. For minutes he allowed her to cry before finally he lifted her up into his arms and took her back to the car. Here he slowly tied the blindfold back over her eyes, letting out a deep breath of air as he stepped to the driver's side and took off his mask.

It was only an hour back into the trip home before Bella stopped crying, the cloth around her eyes damp with tears as she settled back into the softness of the seat that was surprisingly to her – softer than the bed back to where they kept her in. Her head laid back onto the head rest as she tried to keep more tears to herself. It wasn't enough time to talk to her parents – she wanted more. She hadn't seen them in at least a month and she at least deserved more than the measly three minutes she had gotten.

"I deserved a little longer." Bella squeaked from the back. Edward was quite, his mask off and concentrating on the road. One hand was at the steering wheel, the other on his lap. He looked at his rearview window at her, her body curled on the chair as her head was down.

"You had enough time." He said sternly.

"Of course you would think that." Bella rolled her eyes, and though he couldn't see it – he could sense it.

"At least you were able to talk to them. I could have not let you called them at all. Be a little grateful." Edward spat and Bella laughed humorlessly as she shook her head.

"There's that word again. _Grateful_. You think I should be grateful for everything you have done for me? Staying at the four star hotel, dining on chocolate covered strawberries and Champagne, soaking in large bubble baths..." She continued on, but Edward didn't say anything – truth be told he sat in the drivers seat and smiled – loving her sarcasm. "Oh wait, I forgot. I have none of that. I get a concrete room, however day old meals, and a moldy shower. I'm sorry – have I not thanked you enough?"

"Your wit shows no end, Isabella." He chuckled.

"_Bella_." She stated with a firm tone.

"_Isabella_." He replied curtly. "It suits you more."

"You know nothing about me. You can't determine what suits me or not. You're just my kidnapper._" _The last part was but a mere whisper, but he still heard it. It was as if she had stabbed him repeatedly because not only did the words him because she had said it – but because they were true. He took in a deep breath as he nodded in agreement.

"You're right. I'm sorry." It was the first time he had apologized to her. Bella went silent as well as Edward, the energy between them crackling and sizzling. Bella suppressed a sigh as her feet went against the seat in front of her. It felt like another ten minutes had ticked right on by, and the air was still quiet – the only noises of cars passing by them and the soft crackling of the radio that cut in and out of different stations. Bella had situated herself on the chair and cleared her throat before she decided to speak.

"_Why, that's my dainty Ariel. I shall miss thee; but yet thou shalt have freedom. So, so, so_." Bella reprised and Edward's eyes had widened. She had repeated and known his earlier quote. He could not forge a smile, and instead a large one cracked on his lips. "William Shakespeare, _The Tempest_, Act five, scene one."

"You knew that?" He asked softly and watched in the rearview mirror that she had nodded.

"If you're going through Hell, keep going." She whispered, "Winston Churchill." Bella shifted in her seat before reciting his one last quote he had said to her, "Trust in the unexpected, by this – was William Kidd…" She trailed off and cleared her throat, "Emily Dickinson."

Edward was at loss for words. She had remembered and known all the quotes he had said to her – and was completely baffled. She was smarter that she looked – and that caused Edward to grin from ear to ear, something he hadn't done in a very long time. "You knew… All of that?"

"I studied all three of them my sophomore year in College." She responded, her knees coming up so she could rest her chin, the position awkward due to her arms being tied behind her back. "What about you?"

"I majored in Literature, minored in History. Mostly focused on World War II and it's affect on nations." Bella could hear his jacket swishing as if he shrugged, and she smiled to herself.

"I major in Literature." She whispered, pressing her lips together. "I wanted to be a Professor."

"_Wanted_?" Edward asked, "Is it no longer an option?"

"I've been… Pre-occupied, to say the least." Her voice was laced with sarcasm – yet again. He chuckled at her, and shook his head – respecting her for making light out of the situation she had become stuck in. Though, he instantly regretted laughing – her kidnapping was no laughing matter. "What's the date?"

"June Twenty-seventh." He whispered and Bella shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"God." She responded softly, "It's been three weeks already?" The tears welded up again, but she cleared her throat and kept them down. "I don't know if it feels like it has been longer or shorter. To be honest – I lost track." She told him, but Edward remained silent – stirring in his own guilt. "I would have graduated you know – June fourteenth. I was going to go to Princeton for my Masters in Arts so I can focus on Humanities."

"You aren't going to be locked up forever." Edward said as his fingers tightened around the wheel.

_One day you will be free, and I will never see you again._

"I don't know that. Only you do." She told him, picking at the rope that binds her hands together behind her back. Her head rested back against the head rest, letting out a gust of air as she could hear cars honking in the distance from the traffic.

"I can assure you, Isabella, you'll be set free. I told you – we aren't here to kidnap you forever." He told her sternly, but she could hear the falter in his voice. Was he lying? She could have sworn the falter in his voice sounded as if he were upset – as if he wanted to keep her forever.

"Promise me." She hastily said.

"What?"

"Promise me. Promise me I'll be let go soon." Her voice came out quick, but he caught every word – even tried to decipher it. He wanted to feel hurt by her words – but it was instinctual for anyone to want to go home after being kidnapped. He couldn't blame her for this attraction and draw he had with her.

"I promise." They were the last words he spoke to her for the rest of the drive.

The dawn was breaking and Edward had only a matter of hours to get Bella back into her room. Once they arrived he wasted no time in getting her back downstairs. He checked around him, making sure no one was around as he lifted her sleeping body from the car. Carrying her all the way to her room, he had set her down on the bed and removed the blindfold and rope just before pulling down her covers and laying her down into the bed that squeaked in protest, as the small girl's body rested peacefully on top of it. He brought the covers over her shoulders and for minutes sat there and watched her sleep.

She was so at peace – so tranquil. He had never seen her so – happy. It was times like these that he wished he could make her as happy as her dreams did. He was sure there she was able to escape this monster of a place. His hand had instinctively reached out to stroke her cheek, and she melded into his hand, her cheek pressed firmly onto it. She was so soft, so warm. Edward knelt down beside her bed, stroking away pieces of hair with his free hand as he continued to watch her dream happily. He smiled at her when she had muttered something about green eyes, and her lips forming into the faintest smile.

It made his heart soar.

Eventually Edward stood up and headed to leave, but not before realizing that the whole time he had taken Bella to bed – he had forgotten to put on his mask, even though she didn't see him – he didn't even care if she had.

* * *

**Author's Note; FUCKING FINALLY. You just don't know how long I've wanted them to have some actual dialogue. It's hard to type the beginning when characters that you know are going to bond don't know each other yet and in this story really just don't like each other. Or more Bella not liking Edward. I am so fucking happy though I can write some dialogue between them.**

**Things will start to get interesting, I promise. **

**Okay, as always review. I'm doing a good job with updating both stories pretty frequently, so you've gotta give me some love for that. **

**Thanks to my beta Lauren who is doing a great job thus far. **

**And thanks to you guys for reading.**

**Review! Pleaseeeeeee? **

**xoxo **

**shelby**

**p.s. follow me on twitter. www(dot)twitter(dot)com/xbitterangelx**


	10. Chapter 9

**Author's Note; Kind of a short chapter, just trying to just to the chase – ya know? **

**xoxo  
****shelby **

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 9**

"What can we help you with, boys?" A large Sheriff from the Hermiston Police station said with a thick Western accent. "Got the call this morning that Seattle officers were comin' down to our small town for a major problem. What is this, eh, problem ya'll are dealing with?"

"I'm Chief Swan from Forks," Charlie started just before the Sheriff began laughing, causing Charlie to freeze, his eyes a hard glare.

"Forks? Washington? I thought yous were all Seattle police?" The Sheriff laughed, his belly jiggling and forcing Charlie to grimace. "What is a small town like ya'll comin' to us for?"

"Half of my men out there are from all of the Washington state, not only just Seattle. So if I were you, I'd watch your tongue because I may just cut it off and shove it down your throat." Charlie was not playing games, and once his sentence was over, the Sheriff tensed, knowing that his jokes were no longer, and quite frankly never were, funny to begin with.

"Alright, we don't want any trouble here. Let's start over, shall we?" The man said, holding his head. "Sheriff Gussie. But you can call me Liam. What seems to be the problem Chief Swan?"

"My daughter has been missing for a month." He said, holding up a picture of Bella and allowing Liam to take it. "She was kidnapped by a group called the Volturi." He stopped because Liam had frozen his eyes back on Charlie, "You've heard of them?"

"Yeah, we've heard of them." The man moved to a trash can and spit out the tobacco from the back of his mouth just before wiping it with his sleeve, "There were some killing spree west of us in Portland. This was back in the day though, years if I do believe. Marked each victim with a red V."

"Those are the ones." Charlie said with confidence. "Look, they have my daughter. They are keeping her hostage for money. We got a call from her last night from a phone booth in this town. Do you have any kind of inkling if they are hiding out here?"

"In Hermiston? Doubtful, partner. Nothing goes on in this town without me knowing about it. And things like that – well can't exactly be hidden." He shrugged.

"You're sure?" Charlie asked.

"Well of course I'm not sure, but don't you think they would have been caught by now if they were here? You're probably better starting off in Portland. The fuckers are smart, they know how to hide. They probably drove from somewhere to here to get you guys to come here so they can cover their tracks."

"Does your phone booth have any kinds of cameras? So we can see any kind of car?" Charlie asked hopefully – maybe there would be some kind of light in this situation.

"Sorry, sir. All our phone booths are old school. Got nothing but a telephone and a phone book." He shrugged, "But I'll tell you what – we'll put out posters of this picture and show it up on our local news."

"Thank you sir." Charlie tilted his head in departure.

"I hope you do find your daughter." Liam said and Charlie nodded, turning around and heading out the door with Sam, "God be with her, and you."

Later than evening Charlie had returned home, sending off the men who were still trying to find any shoe prints of finger prints on the mailbox or around it. It was as if the letter had appeared in thin air – and they knew the mailman didn't deliver it, having already checked that out earlier that day. Charlie sighed as he walked into the house, pulling off his jacket and shrugged it on the coat hanger. Renee bolted around the corner, tissues still in her hands.

"So? What did they say? Did you find anything out?" Renee asked her hands on Charlie's shirt as she pleaded to him with her large hazel eyes. Charlie just shook his head and sighed. "Charlie… What are they doing with our baby?" She cried.

"We'll get her back, don't worry." Charlie reassured her for the hundredth time – but he wasn't so sure if it was true anymore.

Xx

Things were flashing across Bella's face – lights so vibrant and beautiful. She could feel grass beneath her, her fingers feeling it as she looked straight up at the sky. It was a different color tonight, the sky was. Instead of the usual darkness that shrouded the stars, it was a vivacious mixture of colors. The shooting stars were so close that the wind it produced caused her hair to fling around her face. She reached out to touch the stars that were now changing colors – into an effervescent emerald green. It reminded her of _his_ eyes, so soft and filled with an emotion that she just couldn't decipher. She had turned her head once she heard a startling motion next to her, and she saw him – though he was still covered with his mask, she could see his eyes and she realized the stars were reflecting off of them.

He reached for her, his hand stroking the soft skin of her bare arm – and that's when she had realized her whole body was exposed – though for some reason she was neither appalled nor embarrassed. She reached for him as well, her arms enveloping around his neck where she could feel his breath through the mask hitting her lips. She looked into his deep jade eyes and the passion within them, her leg hitching up around his waist as she could feel the softness of his skin. Her eyes had closed, and somehow the mask was off – she didn't look, but instead reached forward until their lips barely skimmed against each other.

A slamming door had awoken Bella from her dream, her lips trembling as she could still feel them tingling with anticipation. She reached up and smoothed down her bottom lip just before turning to the door that was in the process of locking up. She didn't know how long she had been asleep – but she felt revived and energized, but unfortunately there was nothing for her to do, except to sit and wait until it was time to sleep again.

She glanced to the side of her to see a plate of food, untouched and undoubtedly cold. Her stomach though had betrayed her and began to growl, so instead of denying it she reached for the plate and grabbed the fork. It was some kind of meat loaf, Bella had determined, and she cut it up into little pieces and began eating the chewy portions. She cringed every time she chewed – but it was food, and either way it settled her loud stomach.

Eventually she decided to get up and move around. There wasn't much you could do in the room, and half of the time she spent in the bathroom to wash herself up. She reached into the bag of clean clothes and pulled out a large black t-shirt and sweat pants that hung too low. She brushed through her wet, but clean hair with the hairbrush she was given, and she as well brushed her teeth. They had even brought her pads – and she was thankful they did considering she was on her cycle.

_At least they aren't leaving me in here without any way to clean myself._

It felt like hours Bella had been in here since she woke up, but really it was only an hour and a half. She sat on her bed and played with a deck of cards she found in the pockets of one of the pair of pants that was given to her. She sat on her bed and flung one card at a time at the wall, watching as it fell into the pile on the floor. As she came down to the last few cards, the door began unlocking and Bella's breathing hitched. She had no idea who had left earlier, and was afraid she had slept through green eye's visit. She froze as the door opened, but clearly relaxed as the jaded eyes came to her view.

"Your up." He said in surprise and she just nodded, setting the rest of the cards down on her blankets. "I was hoping you would be." He said and Bella tilted her head to the side – still not sure what to make of this man.

One moment he would be stern with her, unyielding and not saying a word. Another moment he would be furious with her, pushing her against walls and yelling at her to shut up, those were the moments she feared the most, even though he had only pushed her once. The other moments – the moments she hoped for, he was kind and charming like the other night when he had gone against _A_'s back and took her to call her family. Those were the moments she cherished and wished for, for the rest of the time she was held her.

"Was I out long?" She asked, her fingers trailing through her damp hair as one leg crossed over the other. Green eyes moved forward, towards her as she noticed a black book bag slung over his shoulder. He shrugged as he brought the strap of the book bag closer to him.

"You fell asleep in the car, and all through the next day." He told her.

"Is it nighttime again?" She asked.

"Yes." He replied, watching as she brought her knees to her chest, hugging them there with one arm wrapped around them. The silence between them was thick and heavy and Bella tried to look anywhere but his eyes, so instead she opted for the floor.

"Thank you." She breathed, and when he didn't respond she forced herself to look up at him. He was looking down at her – his eyes emerald and bright as she could see the movement of the mask moving where undoubtedly his lips were, and she knew he was setting them in a firm line.

She imagined so many times what his face may look like. Was he just as beautiful as his eyes were? Of course, he had to be. He wouldn't be blessed with such gorgeous eyes if he didn't have a face to match it, but Bella was still unsure. Even in her dreams she could only see his mask – her imagination couldn't even begin to think what he really looked like.

"For what?" He finally asked, breaking her out of her thoughts.

Bella crouched slightly as she brushed her hair back, her lips pressing together as she imagined his were doing just moments ago, "For the other night… The phone call."

"So now you're being grateful?" She could sense his smirk and she rolled her eyes, biting at her lip as she took in a big gust of air.

"Don't get too used to it." She told him, hearing him chuckle through the mask as he brought his free hand to his chin. "I just… It was really… Nice of you. Did you get into any trouble?"

"No." He told her, "They won't find out either, unless your dad says something to them. And if that happens, well I'll just cross that bridge when the time comes." He shrugged as if he had no worries in the world. Bella – she had the worries for him. She didn't want him getting into trouble because he was actually doing something nice for a change. Secretly – somewhere deep down inside of her she didn't want him getting hurt. These men meant business, and she would rather them attack her than lay a hand on him.

_And how long have you known this man?_

Bella shook the thought and bit at her lip as she nodded. "I don't think he will." She told him, watching as he shrugged.

"I brought you some things…" He trailed off, slugging off the book bag that she had noticed earlier. He stepped forward to her, but Bella stayed unmoving and he nodded – understanding her weariness. His arm had stretched out with the bag at the end, and he gestured for her to take it. It took Bella a moment to relax, but when she did she reached forward and grabbed it, she noticed its weight and set it down on her lap as she began unzipping.

Her eyes had lit up in elation at the sight before her. The bag – the whole thing, was filled with books, numerous of them all stacked together. Bella looked up at the green eyed man who sheepishly turned away, and she began pulling them out one by one, reading each title.

_A Tale of Two Cities, Edgar Allan Poe's Complete Poetical Works, The Picture of Dorian Gray, War and Peace, Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, The Iliad, The Jungle Book, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The War of The Worlds, True Grit, __Antony and Cleopatra, Romeo and Juliet._

Of course, how could she miss the book of all published Emily Dickinson poems, and of course Shakespeare's, _The Tempest_?

"You said you majored in Literature," He began with a shrug, "I just figured I'd bring some of my things here to keep you busy." Whilst he was talking, Bella was outlining Emily Dickinson's portrait on the book with her finger, her eyes welling with tears. She was overly emotional from her cycle, and the mixture of that and green eye's willingness to keep her happy overwhelmed her.

"Thank you." She had squeaked out and quickly put her fingers over her mouth to hide her emotion. "This is really thoughtful of you." She nodded once she had the courage to muster up all of her confidence to hide her feelings. Green eyes shook his head and Bella began placing all the books back into her bag, but leaving out one. _True Grit_.

"I read this my freshman year of Literature. We were studying Western novels." She said, fingering the roughed edges of the book – it had obviously been read a few times. "I love all of the characters, but I'd have to say Mattie is my favorite. Her willingness to avenge her father's death with just being fourteen. It's inspiring." Bella was rambling, but green eyes didn't mind. In fact, he enjoyed listening to her and even pulled his chair up close to her bed as he listened to her talk on about the book he considers one of his favorites.

Edward was taken aback by her new found comfort with being around him. She used to be so shy, but sure – always talking back to him if he did something she didn't approve of. It was those moments where he knew she was stronger than most people gave her credit for. But now, she looked at him with smiles and blushes, instead of the tearful eyes he used to give her. It sent chills through him. While she continued on about Mattie's adventures, he overlooked her face and body features. They were calmer and toned down, her arms waving when she talked about something important, and he chuckled softly at her every time it happened. He looked at her soft features, her wet chestnut hair falling down the side of her shoulder as her fingers pressed into the fabric of her gray sweat pants. He gulped – his Adam's apple bobbing as he itched to touch her.

"So which one?" She asked, interrupting his train of thought. Edward raised a brow, his lips twitching as a blank expression crossed his face. "What's your favorite?" She asked once he didn't answer.

"Favorite?" He huffed with a smile, though he knew she couldn't see it. "I don't think I have one." He shook his head, reaching for the bag timidly. She smiled and scotched it towards him and he went through all the spines in contemplation. "They are all important to me in some way. Wherever I was reading it, what was happening in my life," He shrugged and pulled out _The Picture of Dorian Gray_, "I'll always be able to reread this one though."

"Because you're like Lord Henry?" Bella smirked jokingly and Edward gaped as he shook his head. In the book, Lord Henry was considered the antagonist in the story, with his hedonistic ways and how he feeds the innocent Dorian Gray into a lifestyle that appearances mean everything, and nothing else matters. This ultimately led Dorian to his tragic downfall. Edward was baffled that she had related him to Lord Henry, of all people.

"You think I'm Lord Henry?" He chuckled and Bella giggled as she nodded her head.

"Well you're certainly not Dorian." She smiled and took the book, and for the slightest second their fingers had touched. Both had paused to take a deep breath, taking in the moment of skin on skin. Both couldn't deny the electric current that past through them, like a wildfire spreading across their skin. Bella hadn't gone without noticing the gold ring on his right hand middle finger. She could clearly make out the M engraved in it, and she wondered if it was his initial for his name. _Matthew? Mack? Martin? Mitchell?_ They had looked up at one another, but dismissed the action by ignoring it and going back to the book.

"How about Basil? He's pretty normal." He asked and she grinned whilst shaking her head.

"So you're saying your gay?" She cocked her head to the side and Edward glared at her – how many times he had heard _that_ witty comment from his sister. But he knew she was only kidding and loosened up, letting out a soft but heavy chuckle.

"To be fair on Basil, he was never openly gay." Edward pointed out with a smirk that was hidden behind his mask, "It was a controversy that Oscar Wilde never put to rest. Just because a man has a fascination with another man does not label him gay."

"Clearly, he was in the closet." Bella joked.

"You may be right there." He paused and shifted in his seat as he glanced up at her, "But no, Isabella, I am not gay. When I say like Basil, I mean his normalcy. Out of all the characters, he is the most ordinary."

"And you are saying your ordinary?" She questioned as she flipped the page and began fingering the edge of it. "Because as it seems to me, nothing you are doing is ordinary. Kidnapping? It's usually not on normal people's list of _things to do_." She told him and Edward's jaw set straight as he nodded.

"Besides my job." He told her through a whisper as they both paused – staring right into each other's eyes. Finally Bella's lips had begun lifting, and a playful smirk rested on her beautiful face.

"Your job sucks." She told him, the smirk forming into a faint smile. Edward nodded in response as his hands went to his covered chin. He looked up at her with his olive eyes as they locked gazes for another few seconds.

"I know." He told her as he let out a deep exhale. "It'll be over soon." He promised her and she nodded reluctantly – as if she didn't want it to be over with – at least not this part. They were silent for a moment, Edward as still as a statue and Bella fidgeted with the pages. Edward had straightened himself up in his seat and cleared his throat – the silence causing both of their walls to slowly crack down. "How about you?" He asked her, hoping to change the subject. "Which one is your favorite?"

"I don't think I have one." She said, looking back to the books in the bag as she set the one in her hand down. "They are all important to me."

"So you've read them all?" He asked, trying to hide his disappointment.

"Don't sound so upset." She giggled as she looked back at him suckign in her bottom lip. "I'm sure you won't find a classical book that I haven't read." She said with confidence.

"Doubtful." He laughed her off with a shrug.

"Try me." She challenged.

"What?"

"Test me. Say a quote, or something. We'll see if I have read it or not before." She grinned, propping herself up on the bed and against the wall, waiting for him to start. Edward leaned back in the chair, his hand going to the back of his neck as he rubbed it gently.

"Alright." He tried to think hard of a quote from any book she could possibly not know. It took him a few seconds but finally he had snapped his fingers, "Got it. _First, the Man-Mountain shall not depart from our dominions, without our license under our great seal._"

"_Gulliver's Travel_, Jonathan Swift." It took a moment for Bella to think about it, but she was sure of her answer. Edward's smirk was hidden, but she knew it was there.

"Alright," He said, rubbing his chin as he took in a deep breath. "_Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way._" He finished.

"_Anna Karenina_, Leo Tolstoy. And to be exact, book one, chapter one." She smirked and Edward had raised his brows in curiosity.

_Definitely not like normal girls. _

"You're good. But those were just the easy questions." He smirked.

"Is that so?" She laughed with a girly grin just before she pushed the bag to her side, as if she were getting ready for the biggest race in her life, pushing her fingers forward and cracking them. "C'mon, I'm ready." She smiled as she set her hands on her knees that sat Indian style on the bed.

"Alright, alright." Edward paused and looked off to the side, trying to find something to really stump her – something she couldn't possibly know. Edward had finally found one and set his elbows to his legs as he leaned towards her. "_And then sleep again. When man with his blazing lights made an end to night in his towns and houses-it is only a hundred years or so ago that that was done-then it followed he would presently resent his eight hours of uselessness._"

Bella's mouth had gaped open, her eyes closing as her hands instantly went to her almost dry hair, "Oh, God. Um…" Her eyes were closed tightly as she began snapping her fingers. "It sounds like something H. G. Wells would say." Her left hand palm went to her forehead as she tapped her knee with her other hand.

"_Tick, tick, tick_." Edward chuckled as he watched her struggle.

"Shut up!" She breathed with a heavy laugh as she shook her head. Finally it had clicked as she began replaying the quote in her head and then out loud, "_And then sleep again. When man with his blazing lights made an end to night in his towns and houses-it is only a hundred years or so ago that that was done-then it followed he would presently resent his eight hours of uselessness..._"She paused and bit on her bottom lip before she continued,"_Shan't we presently take a tabloid or lie in some field of force that will enable us to do with an hour or so of slumber and rise refreshed again?_"

"Your not gonna get it." Edward teased with a triumphant smirk.

Finally, Bella's eyes had widened and she nearly jumped from her bed and pointed at him, "_The World Set Free_, H. G. fucking Wells!"

"Damnit!" Edward growled, standing up as he pushed the chair back and turning the other way. "_Fuck_." He laughed as Bella giggled from the bed, sticking her tongue at him like a little six-year-old.

"And you actually thought I couldn't do it." She laughed, her arm slinging over her stomach that was now hurting from her constant giggles. Edward turned back to her, her laugh mesmerizing that it captivated him and pulled him in. He shook his head, wanting to run his fingers through his hair but was blocked by the mask.

"Okay, okay. Do me." He said, grabbing the chair and sitting directly in front of her, "My turn. Go."

"Okay…" Bella trailed off, her finger tapping her bottom lip as she situated herself in front of him. The two hadn't realized it at the time, being too involved with the game they had just made up, but they were so close that their knees were barely skimming each other. "_But I still wonder how it was possible, in those graceless years of transition, long ago, that men did not see whither they were going, and went on, in blindness and cowardice, to their fate._"

"Please," Edward scoffed, "A little challenge, please? _Anthem_, Ayn Rand."

"Oh, okay tough guy." Bella smirked as she pondered more quotes, finally finding the right one, "_for her, life was as cold as an attic with a window looking to the north, and ennui, like a spider, was silently spinning its shadowy web in every cranny of her heart._"

Edward paused, frozen – because he already knew he had lost. He did not recognize the quote at all, and he gulped as he glanced up at her – chuckling softly. "Pass?"

"You can't pass!" Bella laughed as she reached forward to playfully push on his chest. He had caught her by the elbows, and the two were now face to face and the only thing that was between their lips was a few inches of space and that mask of his. Her brown eyes had met his green ones, and both had fallen completely in trance with one another. Bella gulped as her fingers went around his biceps, "That was _Madame Bovary_, Gustave Flaubert."

"Never read it." Edward breathed.

"You should." Bella withered, "A lot about communication, and how… Words don't seem to say enough." She whispered as she felt his hands round over her elbows and to her arms where he caressed them gently – just like her dream. "How about an easier one?" She asked breathlessly and Edward nodded, "_These violent delights have violent ends," _Bella began with a tremble, "_and in their triumph die, like fire and powder, which as they kiss…_" She paused once more as the two became closer, the inches dissipating between them, and the only thing left was his mask_, _"_… consume._"

One hand had snaked up to his covered face. She could feel the define jaw bone underneath the fabric, her tongue darting out to wet her lips as her heart began beating rapidly with anticipation. Her fingers had dipped down underneath the mask and she could now feel the jawbone, and the stubble that adorned it. Edward had closed his eyes, his lips pressing together at her warm hand against his face.

But before she could get any farther, Edward had felt her lifting the mask. Quickly he dropped her arms and caught her wrists, pulling them back. Bella gasped at his eyes that now glared at her. He gently pushed her away, but even at his gentlest, she still fell back onto the bed with a loud _thud_. The now angry green eyed man stood up and stomped his way to the door, opening it loudly just before pausing at the entrance. He was frozen and unyielding, and Bella watched with his back towards her, his head move a little to the side just before saying, "_Romeo and Juliet_, Shakespeare."

It only took matters of seconds before he left, slamming the door behind him and leaving Bella there – stunned and slightly brokenhearted.

* * *

**Author's Note; Aww, poor Bella.**

**Sorry this was a lot shorter than normal chapters. I'm just really trying to cut to the chase so the real fun can begin. **

**Hoped you guys liked this chapter and some Edward and Bella cuteness.**

**Thanks to my beta, Lauren!**

**As always, please review. I wanna hear what you guys think. **

**It'll make very fucking happy and I'll love you even more than I already do.**

**Okay well that's all.**

**xoxo  
****shelby**

**p.s. follow me on twitter www(dot)twitter(dot)com/xbitterangelx**


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

_The girl laughed again. The joy of a caged bird was in her voice. Her eyes caught the melody, and echoed it in radiance: then closed for a moment, as though to hide their secret. When they opened, the mist of a dream had passed across them._

_Thin-lipped Wisdom spoke at her from the worn chair, hinted at prudence, quoted from that book of cowardice whose author apes the name of common sense. She did not listen. She was free in her prison of passion. Her prince, Prince Charming, was with her. She had called on Memory to remake him. She had sent her soul to search for him, and it had brought him back. His kiss burned again upon her mouth. Her eylids were warm with his breath._

Bella lay on her back, holding _The Picture of Dorian Gray_ close to her face. She had read these words before, multiple times to be correct, yet they have never settled into her mind like they are now. Sybil Vane, Dorian Gray's love interest, was obsessed with finding her 'Prince Charming', Bella snorted at Sybil's way of actually wanting to find a Prince Charming. Didn't she know that this sort of man only existed in fairy tales? In reality, all they had were sweet-talking criminals that kidnapped innocent girls for dirty money.

It was odd how only one sentence could make Bella completely change her mind on a character. She used to feel sympathy for Sybil because her imagination was greater than her reality, now Bella realized that Sybil was just stupid. If she were any kind of woman, she would know that she didn't need Prince Charming to make her happy. But, this book was set back early in times and back then women only wanted to be protected instead of protecting themselves.

This time reading it, Bella couldn't wait until Sybil killed herself.

She had marked the book after Dorian had found out that Sybil committed suicide and realized that it was _a_ _wonderful ending to a wonderful play_. She snorted once again at Dorian's use of words and put the book down by her side before she turned towards the wall, the blanket up and covering her body.

It had been a few hours since she had seen green eyes, and the thought of him caused her to flinch. He was so mad at her, and she hated the fact that she was the one who flipped the switch so easily. He was so calm, free-willing… _Happy_. He stirred something inside of her when he was like that, something that shouldn't be stirred and just be left alone.

_He gives me hope. _

She knew it was there, the tingles that left from her body to his when they touched – she wondered if he could feel it too. She wondered if he felt the same way she did when their gazes locked. Like nothing else in the world mattered – it was just them. Bella could feel herself drift into unconsciousness, she let it take her in and slip her into the darkness.

Xx

It couldn't have been hours later that Bella felt something tugging her blanket. She groaned, pulling it closer to her once the brisk cold air hit her arm, but the tugging came more prominent, and finally whatever was pulling had ripped it off. She was dazed and confused, sleep still heavy in her eyes as she groaned at what was causing her to feel so cold. Then she felt a ton of weight on top of her, and Bella exhaled a huge breath. She turned, now alerted, to the man who was covering his body with hers.

He had turned his face, and she caught a glimpse of dark brown – it could almost pass for black. Her voice hitched in her throat and his hands hand pinned down her arms. She didn't even have a chance.

"You listen to me," He breathed against her neck, and her heart was pounding, her mouth dry and unable to scream. "I've been watching you for a month now, I can barely contain myself." His voice was gravely and thick with promise and Bella could barely move from the weight as tears began springing to her eyes. "I'm going to have my way with you, and you're gonna like it." He was now kissing her ear and she began to whimper, shaking her head as her mouth began working again.

"Get off of me!" She screamed hoarsely, struggling against his grip.

He grabbed her tiny wrists in one hand and pinned it above her head as his other hand traveled along her black shirt. She was screaming now, throwing cuss words at him like it was her religion, preaching to someone higher above. Her shirt was halfway up, and his lips were to her upper chest, drawing dangerously close to her bra.

Bella knew she had limited time left before he decided to take it further, and she glanced around for something – anything to help her. She snapped her head back to the man who was already working his free hand under the cup of her bra, still kissing and sucking her skin, leaving red little marks.

But by some miracle, her legs could move, and Bella realized that the brown eyed man was so overcome with lust that his weight and attention was now focused on her chest. An act of survival, she could hear Charlie's voice…

_Go for the crotch first, Bella. If you hit hard enough they will let you go. That's __when you clock them in the nose and run screaming for help._

Well Bella only had a room to run in, and a limited amount of things to use as a weapon. She could run into the bathroom like last time – there would be no doubt he would be even angrier and tear that door right off of its hinges. She turned her head, and as if it knew she was in danger the fork that rested against her plate of meatloaf glinted from the light of the lamp. Her head then turned towards the door that was left _cracked open_.

She knew what to do.

Bella clocked her knee upward, hitting his hard-on that he was sporting right on spot. The brown eyed man groaned loudly, pulling his hands away instinctually to cover where he was hit. Bella lifted her arm back and punched him square in the nose. It probably hurt her more than it hurt him, but right now she couldn't focus on the pain. The man had gone down; squirming on the floor and this was Bella's chance. She reached for the fork and jumped over his body for the door. The man had reached out and caught her leg, forcing her to fall forwards, just in front of the door, the fork falling out of her hands and landing with a soft _clink_.

"Where do you think your going you stupid whore?" The man yelled and Bella kicked him in his face. He groaned again, but didn't let go and instead, moved his body up towards her. Blood was seeping around his mask, the black of the fabric wet and shiny. The man put his hand onto her throat, cutting off her air in seconds. Bella's eyes widened as he held it there, her body in a state of shock that it didn't know what to do.

Eventually her senses began to dull out – her sight blurring, her hearing muffled. She could see the fork in the corner of her eyes, and her arm slowly reached out, trying to feel for it. She knew it was _just right there_, even if she was blackening out. Slowly, but surely she felt the coldness of it, picked it up and with one swift move she hit her target that immediately released her.

Everything came back, her sight, sounds, and smell. She coughed; the air was now foreign since it had been missing for at least a minute. The man was screaming, and Bella put her hand to her chest as she looked at him struggling to take the fork out that was lodged in his neck. She wasted no time, and stood up and reached the door – opening it widely as she bolted for the staircase. Though air seemed to flow freely through her, the lack of it for a minute had caused a headache and even climbing the stairs was a challenge. The door was so close though, once she reached it – she turned back to see the brown eyed man stumbling out of the room. Bella turned the knob quickly, and the door flung open. She hadn't expected it, and fell down onto her knees and palms.

"Isabella?" A stunned, but familiar voice asked. She couldn't pick her head up – it was too heavy. She could feel darkness shrouding her, covering every corner of her mind, but his voice kept light, and kept her hoping that she would be okay. He called out for her once more, but this time she was too tired to even hear it. Then, her body had fallen onto the cold floor that she now welcomed.

And then she felt him, but before it could even register in her brain, before she could even store it away forever, her mind began going blank, and everything went black.

Xx

Edward jogged around the park, leash in hand with Russell at the end of it. The Seattle rain hit both of their faces, but they didn't seem to mind. Because of the rain, no one was in the park – and Edward liked it best when no one was there. Usually he jogged with no shirt, and that seemed to only attract attention from women. Here in the rain is where he could run peacefully without being gawked at. Once the two returned home, Edward let Russell off his leash and fed him dinner.

He did ninety crunches, thirty push ups, and ten jumping jacks before hitting the shower. It took only thirty minutes until he was ready and off to work, leaving Russell sleeping in his bed next to Edward's. It was ten at night when Edward arrived, ignoring the strippers who were off duty and whistling at him. He opened the door, scanning the room and spotted Caius sitting at the bar. Edward narrowed his gaze and stomped towards him.

"Scotch." Edward told Alec who nodded and went to get a glass. Edward pulled the stool out and sat next to Caius who sipped on a glass of coke and rum. "Aren't you supposed to be doing your job?"

"My job?" Caius asked – surprised Edward had confronted him so easily.

"The girl." He hated calling her that, it gave her no justice whatsoever – but he couldn't very well tell Caius that. He grinded his teeth instead, grabbing his scotch that Alec had put down. He tipped the cold glass against his lips and began drinking just as Caius started to speak.

"Felix is down with her." He said simply and Edward nearly choked on his scotch. Caius glanced over at him, shaking his head as he then continued to chug his rum. Edward tried to salvage his odd behavior by wiping his mouth, and then chugging his scotch before standing up and walking towards the back door.

_Fuck._

Edward knew that Felix had some kind of fantasy that was borderline creepy with Isabella, and if left alone he knew Felix would act on that impulse. He wondered how long they had been down there together, he tried not to imagine Felix forcing her into something she didn't want to do. He was five times bigger than her – she would have no chance. Edward was becoming furious now and he sped towards the door, but not before he felt something knock into him.

"What the –" He stopped when he was shoved into a closet, a mouth on his. It was a familiar mouth – one he had tasted before. He had no doubt in his mind that this was Tanya. She gripped his hands, bringing it to her chest to grope her breasts. She wanted a quickie, but Edward had other things on his mind.

"Tanya…" Edward breathed.

"Edward, I want you. _Now_." She moaned, he shook his head, trying to push her away but she was relentless. It was true, he wasn't using his full power on her – but he didn't want to hurt her.

"Tanya, not now." Edward groaned, pushing her away. She clawed her way back onto him, grabbing him through his pants and his eyes widened. "Tanya, fuck off!" Edward had finally yelled, pushing her back against the wall. Her eyes were wide with astonishment that he had actually refused her, and she wasted no time taking off her heel and throwing it at the door just as he left and closed it.

Edward wiped the lipstick off of his lips as he reached the doorknob of the back door. He opened it and headed down the stairs before he reached the next one, slamming it open and heading down the hall towards the door that led down to Isabella's room. He reached for his mask in his back pocket, but stopped right in his tracks when the door in front of him flew open. A small body – a girl's body, _her body_, fell down onto the floor, Edward's eyes had widened.

"Isabella?" He asked, frozen in fear that something might have happened to her. She was on her knees and hands for a few seconds before she collapsed, and Edward ran to her, pushing her farther from the door.

"You fucking bitch!" Edward heard Felix from downstairs and he quickly put on his mask. He had every urge to pull out his gun and blow Felix's head off as he came up the stairs, his mask off and holding his neck where blood seemed to pour out of it.

"What the fuck do you think you are doing?" Edward growled and reached for Bella. He checked her pulse, and her vitals were fine. _She just passed out_. He rationalized with himself.

"The bitch fucking stabbed me with a fork!" Felix rumbled, putting pressure to his wound. Edward stifled a chuckle as Felix past him, but in this moment Aro had come out of his office to see what all the noise was about.

"What is going on?" He scanned the room like a hawk, his eyes widening as he saw Isabella's limp body in Edward's arms. "What on earth happened?"

"The bitch fucking stabbed me, Aro." Felix yelled, Aro glared at him for using his full name in the presence of the victim, even if she was sleeping, "With a fucking fork! Who the fuck does that?"

"And what did you do to make the girl stab you?" Aro asked, folding his hands together. Felix stopped in his tracks and fingered his clasped hands that tied behind his back. "Hm?" You didn't lie to Aro, not unless you wanted to die.

"I… Well I was…" Felix began, "Aro, she was fucking asking for it."

Felix's words had shot a rush of anger through Edward, who stood up within milliseconds, "I should fucking kill you!" Edward snarled from across the room – surprising both of them and himself. Aro's eyes narrowed at him, and Edward could tell he was reasoning why he was protecting this girl. He had to salvage his behavior before anyone raised suspicion, "If we get caught, that's kidnapping on our ass. You want another reason for them to want us dead? If you fucking touch her, they'll know about it!" Edward was good with lying, Aro nodded – clearly, believing that that is what Edward was worried about.

"Edward is right, Felix. Next time you touch her in any inappropriate way, we'll make sure you won't be able to do it again." The way Aro threatened someone was strange. There wasn't a hint of anger in his voice, but the threat was so prominent that you knew he wasn't lying – and that is what made it terrifying. Felix nodded and headed out of the room with his tail between his legs. "Edward," Aro said, "Put her back downstairs, make sure there is nothing wrong with her," He turned around and headed back into his office just before stopping, to turn back at him, "Oh, and Edward?" Aro asked, "Cuff her."

"Cuff her?" Edward asked, "But A–"

"_Cuff her_." Aro said finally, raising a brow to let him know that this wasn't an argument. Edward nodded and picked Bella up with ease, walking down the stairs and taking her to her room.

Once arrived he laid her on the bed, checking everywhere he possibly could to see if anything was damaged. He noticed that her sweatpants were still on and nothing looked torn. He had realized that Felix didn't even get a chance to get far with her before she stabbed him. But he did have enough time to mark her. All over her milky white neck were small hickeys, and they adorned her neck, mocking Edward in his face.

If it were possible, his anger grew to impossible limits.

He clutched his knuckles together, his fists turning white as he took in a staggering breath. He grabbed the blanket from underneath her and placed it on the floor, before picking up her body from the bed and taking her to the blanket that lay across the floor. He put her down just before leaving and retrieving an ankle cuff. The thought of chaining her up stirred something in him, and he felt sick to his stomach, acting as if she were some monster when in reality they were the monsters. When he reached back downstairs, he slowly walked to her, grabbing her right ankle and cuffing it, taking the opposite end and cuffing it to a pipe that was attached to the wall.

He looked down at what had been done, her body limp against the blanket – her ankle cuffed and secured. Her neck splattered with red marks, and his anger had overcome his guilt. How dare Felix put his hands on her? All Edward could imagine now was blowing his brains out, and that's what he even contemplated on doing. Edward stood from the ground and stalked off to find his prey.

Felix was outside smoking when Edward found him, talking to some stripper who was just getting off her shift. It made Edward sick to see how he could just so simply go from terrorizing a poor girl, to trying to fuck a stripper. Edward walked up to him, grabbing the back of his neck and glaring at the girl who backed off immediately.

"What – The – Fuck?" Felix roared as Edward pushed him back against the wall of the building, pulling out his pistol and setting it under his chin, "What the hell is your fucking problem, Masen?"

"What gave any kind of inkling that you could put your hands on her?" Edward growled.

"What? The stripper?" He asked, but Edward pushed the pistol farther underneath his chin, cocking it easily.

"Not the fucking stripper you lousy piece of shit. The girl." He told him, "You're fucking everything up. I swear to you, I will blow a bullet through your head if you touch her again." The protective side of Edward was coming out – he didn't even realize the danger he was putting himself in. Felix wondered – wondered why he even cared in the first place, but then things started to click together.

"You tappin' that pussy, Masen?" Felix asked with a chuckle and Edward took the cigarette from Felix's mouth and stuck it into his neck. Felix roared in pain, but clenched his teeth. "You are, aren't you?"

"No. I'm not." Edward finally responded, through a hefty breath of air, "I'm trying to recoup the mess that you made." Edward told him, but Felix was not buying it. Felix only chuckled, shaking his head. "You don't touch her. And you know what? Don't even fucking look at her. And if you even think about her, I will know."

"You do well know that she is against us, right?" Felix asked and Edward stayed still, narrowing his eyes at him. "Whatever your feeling for her, Edward, needs to go away. And fucking fast. Because the moment you cave into her, the minute we let her go – you'll be the first in jail. She's baiting you."

"Shut the fuck up! You have no fucking idea what you're talking about." Edward growled, his finger putting a little amount of pressure to the trigger.

"I don't?" Felix chuckled, "I hope you remember that when your rotting in jail." Within a flash Edward had pulled the gun away and punched Felix square in the cheek, feeling bones crush under his fist. Bella had clocked him in the nose, now Edward got him in the cheek – there was only so much Felix could handle for the day. He went down to the ground. "Motherfucker!" He kicked, and Edward shook his head and walked away.

And as he walked away from Felix screaming profanities at him – he knew that deep down inside of him that Felix was right.

Xx

Bella had shot up from wherever she was – her lips trembling and her body shaking. Her heart was pounding against her ribcage, to the point where it was beginning to hurt. She glanced around from side to side to only see darkness, and a little light from the lamp that was in the corner of the room, which was odd because usually the overhead light was on.

_What happened?_

It was as if someone had erased her memory – she couldn't even remember the last thing that happened to her. Slowly, but surely, the memory's began to unravel, soon Bella realized that she attempted to escape, for the second time. She was going to be killed if she continued on this streak.

_But to be fair, I was almost raped. That has to count for something._

The thoughts swirled in her brain, and then she realized that she truly had almost been raped by the brown eyed man. Her breathing hitched at the memory, his weight on top of her and the words he whispered in her ear sent chills down her spine. That's when she realized that he could still be in this very room – awaiting for her to awake. Bella hissed, feeling hard floor underneath her as she began scooting back.

While she did she heard something scratching the floor while she moved – like metal on metal. That's when all of her senses came back and there was something cool against her right ankle. She reached down due to not being able to see from the lack of light and feeling something metal around her skin – her fingers trembled as she traveled along it, finally hitting a chain that ran all the way up to the wall.

She was cuffed.

Bella – overwhelmed with fear, anger, and deception, she reached for the chain and began to pull. It wouldn't budge. She pulled her hardest to try and get it off of whatever it was attached to, but it was no use. Eventually she started to try and work her foot out of it, but realized that the cuff was too small and too tight, and she would have to cut off her own foot to escape. So instead, she stayed still and tried her hardest not to cry.

On the other side of the door was Edward who walked back and fourth in front of it. He was thinking – contemplating. _Should I even go in?_ The feelings that were developing for this girl were drawing dangerously wide; Edward knew he had to back off. He gripped his hair and tugged on it hard, trying to get the thought of her and the thought of his feelings out of his mind. He hated feeling this way, feeling like he needed to protect her, and needed to help her, and most of all – needed to touch her.

Yes, that was the worst. His need, but mostly his want to touch her. When she touched underneath his mask, before he realized what was happening, all he could think about was her warmth. How the way her little fingers stroked his cheek and around his jawbone. It was heavenly to Edward, and he found himself always thinking about it. He wanted to wrap her in his arms and lay down with her, feeling how electricity shot between the two of them – like an ongoing current that repeated itself again and again.

But he knew these feelings had to go away – and they needed to leave for good. They were both caught up in the moment – him on lack of sleep and her on lack of sun. _It wasn't supposed to happen like that. It wasn't supposed to happen at all._ His dilemma, though, made him ache. He had never felt so protective before over anyone besides his family. The need to provide for her, do things for her was prominent. It was strange for Edward, because he never provided or cared for anyone besides his dog. This girl was marking her territory in his brain, and she didn't even realize it.

Edward then decided that it was best to get out now, and just tell Aro that he can no longer watch the girl. He would think of a reason soon enough – but right now he just couldn't. As Edward stepped up the first few stairs, something had crashed behind him. He turned to look at the door, still closed. The sound had come from inside, and Edward's breathing halted.

_What is she doing in there? How much trouble can she honestly get in with being chained up?_

He had this sudden urge to go to her, to make sure she was alright and it was tugging on him, making him feel weak and useless. For all he knew, he was practically at her knees, allowing her to make the next move.

"Fuck." He murmured, groaning as he pulled on his hair once again before deciding to put on his mask – he began to unlock the door with his keys, knowing that he was going to regret doing this.

He opened the door slowly, and could see her in the corner, huddled up and crying. His heart ached for her, and his eyes sent messages of apology. She wiped her tears as she looked at him, and then looked away and giving Edward time to evaluate what happened. She had thrown her dish at the door – and it scattered into a million pieces, pasta was everywhere. Edward wanted to be angry, he was angry, but he could understand why she was so upset.

"Are you mad at me?" Her voice was a mere whisper, Edward had looked at her – looked into her sadden eyes. She was talking about when she tried to take his mask off, Edward honestly didn't know how he felt about it. One side of him wanted her to do it, wanted her to see him. That side of him was the side that wanted her, that yearned for her, the side that was much weaker. His other side was the rational side, the one where he was angry because she very well could be playing him like a guitar, reeling him in and trying to get his mask off for purposes that would land his ass in jail. Edward ignored her question, not ready to answer that yet as he looked at the mess.

"You need to eat." His voice was harsher than he intended it to be, causing her to flinch. He automatically felt guilty for his words and then laughed at himself. He shook his head and laughed because he felt like she deserved better than what he was giving her, and that made him hate himself. He looked up at her, knelling down as he raised a brow. She stayed still, nearly pinned to the wall. "You are so stubborn, you know that?" He asked as he began picking up the shards of glass.

"I could say the same for you." Her words were covered in venom, and he looked up at her – seeing her glaring at him. He knew he was stubborn and he knew he was foolish – you never mix business with pleasure but it was different on this occasion.

"You were trying to take off the one thing that's hiding my identity." Edward said finally, his body still and rigid except for his back that flexed. He could hear Bella take in a deep breath and slowly exhale it. He looked over at her, seeing her small body lift off from the wall, her eyes weary as she tried to move closer to him. Edward stayed still, attempting to not move closer to her even though every part of his body was just telling him to _go_.

"I wasn't going to…tell anyone." She whispered and Edward snorted at her, ignoring the now prominent tug that was trying to inch him closer. He started to pick up more glass in an excuse to ignore her, "I know you're smart." She began, "You think if I see your face you'll be the first person to land in prison." Edward halted at her words, his eyes moving from the shattered plate to her. She was dangerously close, but couldn't get any farther because of the cuff, "If it were any of the others then you must believe I would have them sketched out and scanned for…" She stopped, and Edward could see her hand moving from the corner of his eye. His was near hers, laying palm flat on the ground to support his weight. And then finally, their fingers had touched – and the heat that rushed between both of them was prominent, causing Edward to close his eyes. "You're different… And, I don't know why." It was as if she was trying to break him down – soon he knew he was going to

"How can you trust me?" Edward whispered in a cracked tone, his body falling so he was sitting instead of kneeling. "I took everything from you, everything!" He growled, his head going into his hands. He was disgusted with himself – disgusted that he had pitched the idea in the first place. Money was no object to him – he barely cared for it. It was Aro who wanted the money – Edward wanted nothing from it. He just wanted Isabella safe.

Her sharp intake of breath connected him back to reality and he looked up to her. She was as close as she could get without the cuff breaking her off, though even then she was still too far away. "You can give it all back." She whispered so softly that he barely heard it – but he knew exactly what she said.

Could he really give it all back to her?

Edward had looked up at her, his eyes ablaze and jaded. He dropped the glass and felt his barriers closing – his wall coming down, just for her. Slowly but surely he leaned up and moved closer to her – his mind telling him to stay put or just walk out, but his heart was leading him towards her, directing him right into her. Bella had kneeled up, her knees on the ground, and even though Edward was sitting, he still towered over her. His hand had betrayed him and reached up, touching the softness of her cheek, stroking over it, his palm lying down onto it completely. Bella had relished in his touch, closing her eyes as her small hand came up to cradle his that was against her cheek. She leaned her face into it, feeling protected by him.

Bella had reached out to touch his own face that was still covered with the mask. She had looked up into his eyes, asking if it was alright. He let out a hefty breath, but nodded his head. She was trembling, her fingers shaking as they dipped under the mask. She decided to take it slow so she couldn't overwhelm him. When her fingers met his cheeks once again, his eyes flew open and Bella stopped. But they weren't hard or angry, but pouring adoration and comfort into her soul. She continued and slowly began peeling off the mask, now feeling his temples at her palms, then his hair.

Finally, the mask was completely off and Bella was face to face with him.

The mask dropped to the side of them and she stifled a gasp, her hands slowly dropping to rest on his cheeks. It was surreal, seeing him like this. But she had been right; he was just as beautiful as his eyes were. His nose was perfectly proportioned to his face, his jawbone flawless and poised, his lips were thin and a perfect shade of natural pink. Her thumb had lifted and she slowly traced his bottom lip, entranced by his very presence. _Like an ancient God, but better_. His hair was an unruly mess due to the mask, but a striking auburn colour. He was perfect, and she was drinking him in, trying to remember this moment forever – and store it in her memory where she could relive it again and again.

Edward reached up to grab her hand, but left it at his cheek. He turned his head so he gently pressed a kiss to the center of her palm before looking back to his lovely Isabella, watching as her eyes closed and her sucking in her bottom lip, "I want to keep you safe." He whispered, Bella had opened her eyes, nodding her head as he could see the tears swarm in her dark chocolate ovals.

"Please." She answered very softly.

It was quiet for a few minutes between the two of them – but it wasn't awkward, and instead a blissful moment. "By the way," He began with a smile, a smile that she had seen for the first time that caused fireworks to go off inside of her, "I'm Edward." He leaned his lips back against her palm once again and placed another kiss to it.

Bella smiled in reflection of his own and nodded her head, reaching forward with her free hand and stroking his wild hair. It was an affectionate touch – one Edward wasn't used to, but felt something inside of him stir happily when it happened, "Edward." Bella breathed, just to feel his name on her tongue. The two of them had staggered in a breath, and gazed passionately at each other.

They were two bodies, savoring in each other's presence. Two bodies that couldn't be any more different – but in their trials and tribulations, they were almost the same. They were two bodies getting to know each other, and mimic off their every touch. They were two bodies that wanted each other – but most importantly, needed each other.

* * *

**Author's Note; *sigh* I love writing fluff. I think it's the best thing I'm good at.**

**Okay, not much to say here except the usual.**

**Thanks so much to my beta, Lauren who is very enthusiastic like myself when it comes to these stories!**

**And of course, to you guys who are reading.**

**You know the drill, review!  
Tell me what you think!  
**

**Fucking love you.**

**xoxo  
s****helby**

**p.s. follow me on twitter. www(dot)twitter(dot)com/xbitterangelx**


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

It was early in the morning on this rainy Monday, and Charlie sat back in his recliner, sipping a beer as he began running through the multiple pages of the printed text messages of Bella's phone, hoping he could find some kind of clue. But there was nothing out of the ordinary, nothing that seemed out of place. The last text she had sent was to Bree.

**I'm here. Where r u? **

Charlie traced the letters with his thumb, then eventually had pulled himself off the recliner to head for bed. He had been up for two days straight, and his brain was beginning to stir crazily from the lack of sleep. He began heading up the stairs just until the phone on his coffee table began ringing.

_Who the hell would be calling at four in the morning? _

Charlie stepped back down, rubbing his eyes as he heard footsteps upstairs, most likely Renee. He was right when he saw her step down the stairs with a robe on, walking towards him as he glanced down at his phone. It was from an unknown number, and Charlie's breathing had hitched.

"Who is it?" Renee grumbled softly, flattening down her hair.

"I don't know." Charlie asked, trying to get the equipment ready so he could pick up the phone. When wires began tangling, things started falling he growled and decided it wasn't worth it. If it were Bella, he'd try to get her to seeing her surroundings and clue him in to where she would be. Charlie exhaled a low breath and picked up the phone, setting it against his ear.

"Hello?" He asked softly, hearing nothing but silence on the other line.

"Chief Swan." A low voice said, one that sounded tampered with.

"Who is this?" Charlie growled instantly, and Renee was quickly at his side, staring up at him with large eyes. "Is this the Volturi?" He asked and Renee gasped, pulling her hands over her mouth.

"Yes." The voice said.

"Where is Bella, you bastards?" The words came out like vomit, but he couldn't stop it.

"Your daughter is under our surveillance. Very alive, and very well. You need not to worry." The voice had told him.

"Don't you fucking tell me if I need to be worried or not." Charlie exhaled as the voice snorted.

"Calm down, Chief. We must discuss this as civilized human beings." The voice had told him, and Charlie could hear some kind of scarping in the background.

"Civilized? There is nothing fucking civilized about you, now tell me where the fuck my daughter is!" He shouted, and the voice cleared its throat until Charlie calmed down. Eventually he did, but his fists were gripping the phone so hard he heard a crack.

"Are you finished?" The voice asked nonplussed, Charlie just hummed his answer. "Do you have Phil Dwyer's money?"

"We're collecting it." Charlie said through gritted teeth. "It's taking longer than expected."

"Surely it can't take that long. Eight hundred thousand dollars are nothing compared of what I should have asked you." The voice laughed and Charlie was getting angrier by the second.

"Here is what we are going to do, are you listening?" The voice said and Charlie just grunted. "You will take Dwyer to the spot that we are still determining. You two will be alone and Dwyer will leave the money in the appropriate spot that we say, and then you two walk out."

"And my daughter?"

"Your daughter will be released the next day." The voice murmured.

"How could you think I would trust you on _that_?" Charlie laughed humorlessly. "Your word means nothing."

"And your word means nothing to me as well. Do you think I'm stupid Chief Swan? I know what you're going to do. You will have your men set up around the perimeter, and when the timing is right you will surround us. I've seen and done a lot to know that a man's word is as meaningless as it is saying it."

"Then why would even think I would agree to this?" Charlie asked.

"What do you have to lose?" The voice asked, and Charlie had frozen.

"We will take the money and make sure it is not tainted with. None of that invisible ink shit, and certainly no fake bills. Once we know you haven't cheated us, we will let her go. She will find her way home." The voice crackled.

"And what if something happens to her on the way home?" Charlie asked.

"That is not our problem."

"Why can't we meet up somewhere and exchange. Surely that would be easier?" Charlie offered.

"Too easy. You will take this plan or you will walk. One, or the other." The voice said firmly.

"And what if I say no?" Charlie bluffed.

"Then I'd say you would see your daughter again. At the gates of Heaven. Or Hell. Whichever." The voice chuckled and Charlie groaned his body hurting from the thought. "My way of seeing it, Swan? Take this. My word sometimes may be worthless, but today and until this is over, it is worth something. I promise you will have your daughter back, alive and healthy if you do this."

It was a hard decision, a decision that Charlie didn't have to think about. He ran his fingers through his hair and let out a soft grunt before finally responding, "Fine. We'll do it."

Xx

Bella ran a brush through her wet hair, straightening out the knots that gently tugged and caused her to wince. Finally her hair was all brushed out, and she pulled on the navy blue t-shirt and a pair of black sweatpants just before brushing her teeth. She sat up on the sink, brushing her teeth as she heard something rustling in her room. Undoubtedly it was the brown eyed man and Bella stayed put, letting out a deep sigh as she hoped that Edward would be here soon.

Their time together was blissful and amazing, and if Bella could relive the moments over and over again she would. They would never end, and stay on the same cycle until the day she died. It was odd, getting so close to her kidnapper, but she couldn't help but feel this pull towards him. She knew what her family said, what Charlie would to her if he found out, but that didn't stop her. She was too attached to Edward now. Like a moth to a flame. She fears she was getting too close to the fire, but Edward knew how to demolish it rather quickly or at least change its appearance.

She shook her head at the thought of him leading her on. _It couldn't be possible_. He wouldn't divulge so much to her if he wasn't actually sharing some kind of feelings. And they were mutual. Getting to know him was the best part in this relationship that they were forming. He was so alike to her, but somehow different. They shared common interest, which lead to many conversations and even sometimes arguments. Things became normal for them, or at least as normal as you could get with a kidnapper and their victim.

He was always so protective of her, always making sure she was out of harms way. At one point, he had made sure she would always know what to do if something like the other night happened. Of course it wasn't much, but Edward couldn't give her a gun. So instead he gave her a pager.

"_Here." He told her, handing her the small square shape object. Bella held the lightweight object in her hand, glancing back up at him in confusion. "Turn it over." He said, and she did, seeing a small strip of screen and buttons under it. "It's a pager." He told her. _

"_Why couldn't you just get me a cell phone?" She asked innocently, a small smile cracking at her lips, "I don't think I've seen anything so ancient." Edward didn't smile though. She watched as his lips faltered into a frown and she hated when he pouted like that, but she knew why. He couldn't give her a cell phone. He didn't trust her with one. And she wanted to be offended, but knew better. The temptation to call for help would be too big, and even if she did care about Edward – she wanted out. "It's okay." She nodded, leaning over and wrapping a hand around his wrist that lay on the bed. "I understand." _

"_The pager is connected to my cell phone." He said, moving closer to her as he grasped her hands in his own, taking the pager away from her as he began to show her how to work it. Edward had pulled out his cell phone, which was also very ancient. She had come to the conclusion that he probably didn't have that much money, at least not right now – and that thought made her smile. Not the fact that he was poor, but because of the fact that he wasn't rich. _

_His cell phone began to ring as he pressed the red button under the screen of the pager. "Is this for emergencies or something?" She asked, looking up to him. Their knees were touching again, and this time they both noticed – feeling the heat run between their bodies. But Edward didn't smile like Bella did when she felt it – she knew that this topic was serious._

"_I can't be here all the time." He started with a soft sigh, "I can't just hang around. They'll start to get suspicious. Plus, I need sleep. I'm glad your clockwork is working on my schedule now, but that wouldn't stop them from trying to do something." _

"_You mean the guy who tried to…?" Bella trailed off so she didn't have to say the word and Edward nodded. Edward had taken the pager from her hand and set it next to them along with his cell phone. He reached for her left hand, clasping it in his own as he brought it up to his lips, kissing the top of her fingers. _

"_I'd die if something happened to you." He whispered and Bella could have sworn her heart cracked a little. It cracked for him, all the pain, suffering and most of all the worry he was enduring. He wanted to protect her, but protecting her meant that sometimes he'd have to stay away and she would be defenseless. Edward hated the thought of it, even wincing at the imagination of what could possibly happen. Bella reached her free hand out and began running her fingers through his auburn hair. She liked the feel of it, but it was Edward who was entranced, always enjoying the affectionate touch that has been absent from his life for so long. Bella's hand had fallen onto his cheek, forcing him to look up to her. _

"_I'll be okay." She promised him, but the promise was only half full. She had no idea if she would be okay when he was gone, but she had to settle the nerves inside of him that were high wired and restless. Edward had relaxed and nodded, leaning forward to press a soft kiss to her forehead._

Bella ended up on her bed with _Romeo and Juliet_ on her lap. The tip of her thumb was gently between her teeth, her elbow resting on her thigh as she flipped through the pages, not having to go and read over every line considering she knew most of it. As she neared Romeo and Juliet's first meeting, the locks on the door caught her attention and Bella stilled, her body automatically tensing as her breathing hitched. Her clockwork was very confused – and she still didn't know if it was night or day, but she wished for night. Night was when Edward came to her, and day was when the other ones came.

Well, her wish had come true and Edward stepped into the room. He was still wearing his mask, but she could tell by his body that it was him even before she saw his eyes. He had shut the door behind him, his bag around his shoulder and he reached forward and took off his mask. Bella still wasn't use to the sight of him – he was too beautiful for his own good, and when he smile, like he was right now when he caught her gaze, she could feel herself becoming impossibly more attached, and also smiling in response.

"_Romeo and Juliet_?" He nodded towards the book, and she looked down at it just before closing it and sliding it off her lap and onto the blanket underneath her. "_For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo._" He quoted.

It had only been a few days since the mask was officially taken off and to Bella it had been the best few days in years, despite the fact of her being locked up. Edward was a gentle person when he wasn't burden with his guilt. She knew that he felt bad, knew that he would have never of gotten involved if he had met her first, but that was the problem. As for Bella, she wasn't so sure if she agreed with him. If her kidnapping didn't happen, then they would have never met. The very thought left a gaping hole in her chest when it crossed her mind.

He had sins, of course. Who didn't? His were far more extreme then others, but she had already forgiven him. It was a weird relationship they had, but it didn't stop the feelings that coursed through their bodies and left them itching to get closer.

_If it's so wrong, then why does it feel so right?_

"Act five, scene three." Bella said, watching as Edward smirked as he walked to her, ignoring his chair that sat lonely in the corner as he sat down on the bed. The bed was big enough if they both sat up, but they were still so close. Bella sat Indian style at the top by her pillow while Edward was on the opposite side, his long legs hanging over as his feet touched the ground. Edward leaned forward, causing Bella to lose track of her breathing and when she felt his lips against her cheek she couldn't help but smile.

They weren't intimate – at least not yet. Edward would occasionally kiss her forehead or cheek like he just did, but the rest was just their hands wondering. He would stroke her arms as she ran her fingers through his hair, but never once did lips meet lips. Bella wanted to feel his lips on hers, feel the warmth of them pass through his body and into hers. She wanted to feel his tongue and then his lips on her neck. She was so far deep into him, she hadn't even realized it.

"You never cease to amaze me, Isabella." He told her and she could feel the blood in her cheeks rise and produce the color on her skin. Edward had smirked at her blush, always enjoying the reaction he caused when he said something sweet. He pulled off his black backpack and began unzipping. Bella was overwhelmed with a delicious scent that her mouth began watering. Edward had pulled out two Styrofoam containers, his green eyes looking up to her, "I thought you would like a proper meal." He said with a grin.

"I don't know, that rubbery cheeseburger kind of filled me up." She joked and Edward chuckled, handing her one of the containers, "What is it?"

"Kota Reganati." He said watching as Bella sat back with a questionable look on her face, "Chicken with potatoes and vegetables. It's one of my favorite Greek restaurants, _Costas Opa_. It's in northern Seattle."

"Do you go there often?" She asks, taking the fork and napkin that he hands to her. Edward nodded, bringing his legs up and sitting Indian style, a direct mirror of her as they both began eating.

"I live near there." He tells her just as Bella is taking her first bite. It might just be the past month's horrible meals, but the food he had brought her heavenly. Bella moaned in satisfaction, causing Edward to widen his eyes – her unexpected sound sending him into a shock of arousal. Edward cleared his throat, watching as Bella brought the napkin to her face.

"This is really good." She told him with a smile, watching him reflect it but his body fidgeting. She let out a soft giggle, seeing his knee bob and his hands shake as he cut his meat. "You alright?"

"Yeah." He answered immediately, thanking himself for wearing black jeans – the bulge was less noticeable. He needed to get onto another topic. "So, where do you live in Arizona?"

"Phoenix." She said, taking another bite just before brushing a piece of her hair back innocently. "I have my own apartment that I pay for myself, but sometimes I just stay at Phil's house."

"Why?" Edward asked.

"Well, Phil lives on a ranch. He breeds horses for track races; it's one of his hobbies." She shrugged, "And my horse is there." She smiled.

"You ride? Like the track?" He questioned; stunned.

"No way." She said sternly, shaking her head. "I mean I ride, but not on the horse track. I'm actually against horse racing. Adara, my horse, has been racing ever since she was old enough. She was a rookie and won a first prize medal at her first race. Phil hasn't let that ever died down." Bella's lips faltered as she took another bite of her meal and Edward had noticed, "She's getting older and I don't want her last moments to be on the track. She deserves better than that. She deserves to be free."

Their eyes had met and Bella had finally realized that she and Adara weren't so different. Both trapped in a mindless game that they didn't want to play, secluded from their own freedom. Both of them had lights, lights that gave them hope that one day things would be better. Adara had Bella, and Bella had Edward.

"Adara?" Edward interrupted her thought, "What is that? Spanish?"

"Arabic." Bella began, "It means beauty, noble, and… _virgin_." The two had stopped eating to look up at each other and both grinned as if it were some kind of private joke. "She is the only thing that has kept me sane though."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't even know where to begin." Bella laughed, shaking her head as she finished off her last bits of potatoes. "I guess I'm not your average rich girl. I hate all the fancy clothing, sick of the money spent on useless sponsors, and am very disgusted with everyone in the upper class who seem to have their heads shoved up their ass." She ended and Edward couldn't help but laugh, reaching down to grab a water bottle for both him and her.

"I never pegged you as rich girl anyways." Edward said, sipping his water.

"Yeah? How so?" Bella asked.

"You're too… In tune with people. Rich girls don't even take a second glance at anyone but themselves." Edward stopped, his hand rubbing the stubble on his chin as he laughed, "Actually, I have a name for girls like that. Rich brat bitches is what I call them."

"Rich brat bitches?" Bella hummed, watching as he nodded, "Clever."

"I've dealt with numerous of them that I can't even call them by names anymore, so I just put them in a group. RBB." He said and Bella giggled.

"You've dealt with them?" She asked.

"My parents are… Rich." Edward began with a sigh, "I'm not. I wasn't into the lifestyle, so when I turned eighteen I moved out. Decided to support myself unlike my siblings who still feed off my parents." He grunted, shaking his head. "I mean, I love them and all but no one really knows how hard it is until you cut yourself off from your parents finances. Supporting yourself builds character."

"And how old are you?" She asked, raising a brow.

"Twenty five." He said.

"Seven years of building your character and how are you doing?" Bella smirked, taking a sip of her water.

"Still broke." He laughed, shrugging his shoulders so his hands fell down to his knees, "I guess it's not that bad. You do, though, have a sense of adventure when you have no money." He began, watching as she looked at him confusingly, "Never know when the landlord will evict you from your place. Always keeps you on edge." Bella began to giggle, covering her mouth when it became too loud and she was clearly embarrassed. "I like your laugh." He told her, smiling the same smile that had been plastered there since she began her laughing. She looked up at him from her lashes and the two locked gazes for seconds. Bella bit at her bottom lip, itching to get closer to him.

"So where do you live exactly?" Bella asked, changing the subject as she took another bite of her chicken, the last one until she felt like she was full.

"I live in an apartment near Lake Union." He said just before popping in another bite of chicken, swallowing it before speaking again.

"And you live on your own?" She asked curiously, putting the top back on the container, "No girlfriend?"

His eyes narrowed at her and he wondered why she would ask him that. Did she think he was like that? Clearly he was interested in her, did she really believe he would be playing her? Of course, he was a criminal. How far can you be from a criminal and a cheater?

"No girlfriend, Isabella. Just my dog Russell and I." He had finished his food and took both their empty containers and set them in his bag.

"A dog? What kind?" Bella asked, leaning against her pillows as she played with the cap of the water bottle.

"He's a Korean Jindo." He told her, leaning back against the wall.

"Never heard of that type. But I love dogs." She said, leaning forward so they were closer, her elbow setting on her knee as she dipped her hand under her chin.

"I found him abandoned in an alley as a puppy about three years ago." Edward began, reaching out so his fingers could gently skim the skin of her arm, sending tingles in her body. "The complex I live in allowed pets so I was able to keep him. He's really protective of me now so he doesn't get along well with new people." He told her, gripping her wrist gently to pull it towards him, his hand reaching in hers as their fingers intertwined. Bella looked up at him with a smile as she dipped her hair back.

"I'm sure I could get him to like me." Bella said, and Edward looked up at her. That meant she wanted to come to his apartment and that sent relief through his body. He smiled and nodded his head, stroking the skin of her thumb with the pad of his own.

"I'm sure you could too. You're very easy to like." He murmured and Bella sucked in her bottom lip, still blushing furiously.

"You know," She began, her friend hand covering their clasped ones as her fingertips began running along their intertwined fingers. "I don't know what you did, but the big guy… The one who tried to…" She trailed off and Edward nodded in understanding, "He won't even look at me anymore."

"Good." He responded quickly and coldly. His body warmed again as he felt her fingers against his skin, "I told him to back off or I'd…" Edward stopped, not very sure how Bella would react if he told her that he threatened Felix that he would kill him if he ever looked at her again, "He would just be sorry if he did it again." Edward told her and Bella reached forward, her fingers slipping down his cheek as she smiled.

"I like you being protective." She whispered, her fingers gently curling into his hair and forcing him to let out a soft breath of air, closing his eyes as he relished in her touch. "It makes me feel safe here, even when your not around and might not be able to look after me." She finished and Edward opened his eyes, squeezing her hand that was tangled in his.

"I'll always be around to look after you." He promised her, leaning forward so that their foreheads were touching. Both closed their eyes, taking in the presences of each other. Bella was the first to open her eyes, looking up at him and how close he was to her. All she had to do was tilt her head up and their lips would be touching, but instead she stayed put and just looked, not wanting to disrupt anything. She didn't want to push her boundaries and would wait until he made the move. Edward had pulled away from her, still holding her head as he looked at her affectionately, a smile on his lips as his free hand came out and stroked her cheek.

"How much longer will I be in here?" Bella broke the silence. Edward looked away and off to the corner where his empty chair was. He didn't want to think about her leaving, but very well knew she couldn't stay here forever. A gust of wind left his chest, leaving him empty. But the thought of her out of this room, able to do things that she wanted to do and move on from this point of her life made him feel hope, even if he wasn't apart of her future.

"Not much." Edward told her with a smile that wasn't forced. Bella could tell it wasn't forced and she felt slightly upset. She knew he wanted her to be free, but she wondered if he would miss her at all.

"How much?" Bella asked, her head down as her free hand traced his wrist.

"Well, your stepfather has the money ready. They are still negotiating terms and for where your parents can drop off the money. It should happen next week." Edward told her, staring at the top of her head because it was down.

"Am I going? Are they trading the money for me right then and there?" She asked, bringing her head back up to look at him. His green eyes glinted from the lamp that flickered, but he shook his head.

"My boss doesn't believe your father will come alone. He doesn't trust him. So they are dropping the money off and we – _they_ promise that they will drop you off the next day somewhere and you'll find your way back." He whispered, watching as Bella looked at him confusingly.

"And Charlie? He… Agreed to this?" Bella asked. Edward nodded his head, squeezing her hand. "I mean… I know that they will release me, but how does he know? It seems a little far fetched for a police officer to give money with no guarantee he will get his reward."

"Reward?" Edward snorted, "You're his daughter, Isabella. Either way he can't get to you. So he'll take what he can get in chance to have you back. You'd be surprised at how hard he's working to get you back." Edward told her and Bella bit at her lip, wondering what exactly Charlie was doing.

"What if they drop me off in the middle of nowhere?" She was clearly afraid, and Edward shook his head, reaching forward and tucking his hand under her chin.

"They won't. I won't let them. They will probably drop you off somewhere secluded but where you can get a cab." He paused, his looking down at their intertwined hands. "And then you'll be home free."

They had both gone silent, staring down at their hands that gripped not too tightly, but tightly enough to send the message that their absences from each other will not go unnoticed. Bella leaned down, her head going against his shoulder as she still held on, tightening her grip as she closed her eyes.

"Will we ever see each other again?" She mumbled, looking up to see him still staring at their hands. Edward didn't know what to say, because he had no idea if they would ever see each other again. He didn't want to say no, because then that meant that if he believed it then it would happen and that fact alone stole his breath away. But he didn't want to say yes, because he didn't know if it was true, and satisfying her with a promise was useless if he may not be able to fulfill it.

"We shouldn't think about that right now." He told her through a hoarse whisper and Bella could see the doubt, but yet the hope in his eyes. She looked down at their hands that were now loose and she began pulling away. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead, assuring her that maybe they won't be together in the future, but here and now they were. They had to make it count. "Will you read to me?" He asked and Bella lifted her head to look at him. He gazed at her with comfort and hope, hope that they would leave this subject and put it to rest for the night. They would deal with it later on when it is time to cross the bridge.

"What would you like me to read?" She asked and Edward shrugged. Bella reached under her bed for the bag off books and pulled them out, setting Romeo and Juliet back in as she took out the Emily Dickinson Poem collection. She had slowly laid back, her head on her pillow as she opened it. Edward had dropped with her, but his head had rested on her stomach and Bella was surprised by his maternal gesture. She smiled, and with one hand held the book, and with the other she began stroking his hair.

"_If you were coming in the fall, I'd brush the summer by, with half a smile and half a spurn, as housewives do a fly._" Bella began softly as Edward listened, "_If I could see you in a year, I'd wind the months in balls_," She paused to feel Edward stagger a soft breath, but he kept quiet and intently listened as his eyes closed, storing this moment with every millisecond that passed, and what a lovely moment it was. "_And put them each in separate drawers, until their time befalls._"

* * *

**Author's Note; Awww. I love fluff!**

**Okay, so honestly I'm just trying to get to the good stuff as fast as I can, but without rushing it. Rushing it would make it weak, and I don't want that.**

**Short chapter, I know. Things are going to pick up soon though, promise.**

**First, thanks to my beta Lauren! She my crutch, so hugs to her!**

**And thanks to my readers for reading.**

**You all know what to do. Leave my some reviews, tell me what you think.**

**xoxo**

**shelby**

**p.s. follow me on twitter. www(dot)twitter(dot)com/xbitterangelx**


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Bella had read for hours. She moved on from all three hundred of Emily Dickinson's poems, to a hundred of Edgar Allan Poe. Bella had never read so many poems in her life – but she couldn't complain. Neither did Edward as he continually listened, his head resting on the softness of her stomach that was covered in a warm shirt. He could have stayed in this moment forever, listening to her read as he stayed still against her, feeling her raking her fingers through his hair. He didn't know what it was, but he was oddly attracted to the gesture.

_Esme did it sometimes when I was younger. Maybe it's different when it comes from a lover. _

But that's where Edward was confused because Isabella wasn't his lover, at least not now. His thoughts stemmed longer, he wondered if maybe, just maybe there would be hope for them. That one day in the early morning when the sun is peaking out from his window, the two lovers would be sated and pleasured with each other's naked bodies, while he kissed her neck and she ran her fingers through his hair, just like she was doing now. The actuality of that happening, unfortunately, was very slim. He knew the moment she was gone, that would be the last he would see of her. She would go on and do other things, do greater things, find someone who will treat her right and give her all the things she needs, because he wouldn't be broke like Edward.

Edward winced at the thought of her with someone else. His arms around her waist, his lips at hers, the two of them joining together. It sent Edward in a fit of rage, that he hid very nicely as Bella continued reading. Once he had calmed down, he realized that no matter how much he wanted to be with her, it just wasn't possible. Aro would find out, and they would suspect Edward of treason, thus putting both him and Bella in danger. He couldn't do that to her. It was during this time that Edward had realized that Bella stopped reading. He glanced up at her and to his surprise she was sleeping. The book rested against her chest that rose and fell in sync with his, her lips opened slightly as her soft dark eyes were closed.

He gently stood up, cursing at the bed that squeaked beneath him. He brought his wrist up to see that it was already nearing nine in the morning. He stood from the bed, the proximity of her closing and forcing him to flinch. He took the book from her chest gently, closing it and setting it in his bag before sliding it back under her bed just before grabbing the blankets and covering her body. At this time he knelt down beside her, his hands pressing against his cheeks as he rubbed them gently, trying to store this picture of her sleeping body in his memory.

At this time Bella had twitched, her lips moving but no voice to be heard. Finally she had said something – something that ignited fire to his body. She had whispered _his_ name. He had heard her whisper _green eyes_ before in her sleep, but anyone she knew could have had green eyes. This was him, it was all for him. Her dreams were marked with his name, and she even smiled.

Edward had an overwhelming feeling to bring her in his arms and kiss her right then and there. He hesitated and instead leaned forward, his lips skimming her cheek as his forehead pressed against her temple.

"_Tu es ma vie maintenant._" Edward whispered, figuring that Bella couldn't hear him. He kissed her cheek once again before standing up and grabbing his other bag with the containers in it, as well as sliding his mask on. He was reluctant to leave her, but forced himself out, locking the door behind him as he headed up the stairs.

What he didn't realize was that Bella had awoken when she felt his lips against her cheek. She didn't open her eyes though, interested to see what he was going to do. She felt his forehead against the side of her own, his lips at her cheeks as he breathed against it. But she had forgotten all of that once he opened his mouth. Now, her French was a bit rusty, but it didn't take a rocket science to understand what he had said. And when she heard him say it, her heart began racing, but she stayed still. She stayed still until she heard the door open and then close; when he was gone she sat up, her pointer finger rubbing along her bottom lip as she couldn't contain her smile allowing it to break out.

"_Tu es ma vie maintenant._"

_You are my life now._

Xx

The apartment was silent despite the soft snoring coming in from the bedroom. Edward slept soundlessly on his mattress, the three o'clock sun shining in his window and keeping his bare back warm. He was dreaming of Isabella, her smile, her laugh, her touch, and of course her lips. It was enough to make him smile in his sleep; something he had never done before. Outside of his dream, Russell laid on his dog bed in the corner of Edward's room, down on his side as his leg twitched.

It only took milliseconds for his ears to perk up when he heard the front door rattling, his body and mind on full alert as he bared his teeth. Whoever was on the other side was determined to get in. Edward groaned, turning his head as he continued to dream. An exasperated sigh came from the other side of the door; Russell slowly began walking into the sitting area and to the kitchen where the front door was met. His ears were down, his teeth bared, and a soft growl escaping his throat as a key went in through a slot. The door had opened and Russell began barking but stopped when Alice had shushed him, carrying bags of groceries.

"Hello, Russell. Nice to see you again." Alice smirked down at the dog who turned its tail on her when he realized she was not a threat and trotted back to his bed to fall asleep. Alice set the bags on Edward's clean counter, opening the refrigerator, sighing at the lack of food. She began humming as she emptied the bags, setting in the necessities that would last him a few weeks. Edward hated charity, but Alice knew he was broke and decided to ignore his comment to her about not buy him food. After she had finished emptying the bags, she crossed her tiny arms over her chest as she heard shuffling in his bedroom.

"Edward Anthony Cullen…" Alice growled and stomped back to the bedroom to see her brother's back as he snored softly. "It is three o'clock in the afternoon! Are you purposely doing this, or are you really nocturnal?" Her voice was an octave higher than Edward had last heard her, and he groaned inwardly as Russell whimpered in the corner as if he was just as annoyed with her voice as Edward was. "When was the last time you have actually seen daylight?"

"Remind me why I gave you a key?" Edward asked against the softness of his pillow. Alice had stomped towards the side of the bed and grabbed the blankets, ripping them off and revealing Edward only in his boxers.

"Oh, real classy Edward." Alice smirked, taking out her cell phone as she snapped a shot, "And I'll be sure to send this to Tanya. I'm sure she would enjoy that _afternoon-wood_." Alice began making kissy faces like a little five year old and Edward sat straight up, grabbing his blanket and putting it over his lap.

"This is my house, Alice. And the fact that you actually have the audacity to come over here and snap pictures of me in my fucking underwear and send it to your little girlfriends is kind of weird." He groaned, still not very coherent as he ran his fingers through his hair. His sister stood in front of him, setting her hands onto her hips and raised an eyebrow. "What _are_ you doing here?"

"Stocked up your fridge. You were a little low on… Well, pretty much everything." She told him, and Edward didn't even have the brain function at this hour to yell at her. She turned on her heels and headed back out to the kitchen. Edward stood from his bed, grabbing his sweats and pulling them on as he followed her, where Russell wasn't far behind him. "Plus, mom wanted me to make sure you weren't dead or something. You haven't called her in a few weeks. You know how she gets."

"Not my problem." Edward shrugged. "She could have called me."

"She did." Alice turned towards him, crossing her arms over her stomach, "And so did I. And now that I think about it, so did Em and Carlisle. You avoiding us?"

"Now, why would I do such a thing?" Edward asked, grabbing himself a cup of water before sipping on it. "My dear and loving family, how could I ever want to avoid you? It's not like I don't enjoy you prying in my life, and…" Edward stopped, opening his fridge to see it completely filled, "Giving me charity."

"There's that word again." Alice rolled her eyes, "It's not charity if it's coming from family."

"Bull." Edward smirked and nodded just before gulping his water.

"So tell me," Alice began, pushing up on the counter as she sat on top of it. She knew how much Edward hated that, "What are you doing sleeping in the middle of the afternoon?"

"Nightshift." Edward said simply.

"And where is this nightshift at?" She asked, "Because I seem to recall just a few weeks ago that Tanya told me you two were screwing around in the closet of the strip club. Is that where you're working?"

"She told you that?" Edward asked.

"Was she wrong?"

"I was a little desperate. Sue me." Edward growled and Alice rolled her eyes. "Why do you even hang out with her anyways? She's nothing but a little tramp."

"Coming from the man whose been fucking her for three years." Alice raised her brows and Edward shook his head, wincing at the memories. Yes, he and Tanya had a very active sex life, but all of that seemed to end when he began getting close to Isabella. Tanya was no longer needed, and quite frankly no longer wanted. Not that she was wanted in the first place. "She's been asking about you, you know. Apparently you denied her at the club the other night. Told her to _fuck off_?"

"Yes, I did." Edward nodded.

"You know I don't hang out with Tanya. At least, not anymore. But we still talk on occasion. She was a little upset with your stunt." Alice said, tilting her head to the side, trying to figure out why her brother, known to never turn down sex, had actually denied Tanya.

"I met someone." Edward said simply.

"You prick, you're making that up." Alice laughed but Edward stood still besides sipping his water. Alice's eyes had widened and she jumped off the counter, walking up to him just as he dropped his mug. "Are you serious?"

"Yes, Alice. Is the thought of me meeting someone so far fetched to you?" He asked, setting the mug in the dishwasher before walking away and back towards his room. Alice of course was right on his heels.

"No, I mean… I didn't mean it like that. I just… You've never had a girlfriend before. It's a little… Shocking, to say the least." She smirked as she stopped at the end of his bed, watching as Edward went to his dresser to pull out a shirt. "Who is she?"

"Like I'm going to tell you." Edward laughed, pulling on a white v-neck shirt. Alice crossed her arms and huffed, her eyebrows furrowing together.

"Why not? Is there something wrong with her? Is she an alcoholic? A drug addict?" She asked, and Edward looked back at her and shook his head as he scoffed. Then Alice snapped her fingers and pointed at him, "Oh! Is she a prostitute?"

"Fuck, Alice. How low do you think I am?" He snarled and she shrugged. "She's… a literature major."

"Like you were?" Alice yelped and Edward narrowed a glare at her. Alice covered her mouth, and nodded her head that she understood she pushed it too far. Edward didn't like talking about his college life.

"She's not a whore, or a bitch or anything girls are like today." Edward had turned towards his dresser and found himself smiling like a complete idiot, "She's… Sincere and beautiful and…" That's when he stopped and turned back to his sister who looked at him lovingly, enjoying that her brother had finally found someone, "Fuck, why the hell am I talking to _you _about this?" He turned and headed out of his room and back into the sitting area. Alice jumped up with him, following right behind him.

"Aw, Edward!" She began and he groaned, "She sounds… Normal." Alice laughed, sitting on the chair while Edward sat on the couch. "What's her name?" She asked, but Edward stayed silent, "Okay, chances are whatever this girls name is, a million of other girls in Seattle have it as well." She told him and Edward let out a soft breath of air, running his fingers along the stubble of his jaw as he finally decided it really didn't matter.

"Isabella." He breathed, and couldn't help but feel this weight being lifted off his shoulder. He hated keeping her a secret, because it felt like she was something horrible enough to hide and that wasn't the case at all. So when he told his sister Isabella's name, he felt good and found himself smiling as he leaned back against the couch.

"Isabella." Alice tested it out, "This isn't Bella Makos is it? She always comes to my parties like she is the Queen of England or something."

"Alice…" Edward began and shook his head, "What makes you think that I would _ever_ date one of your friends?"

"Well she's hardly my friend." Alice rolled her eyes.

"Doesn't matter. I would never date anyone associated with you. No offense." He pointed out quickly so Alice wouldn't yell at him, "This Bella, _my_ Isabella, she's different. She's not like most girls."

"Will we ever get to meet this Isabella?" Alice asked, lacing her fingers together as she smile. Edward's hand went to the back of his neck as he rubbed it gently, looking to the side of him to see Russell by his side, looking up to him as if he were awaiting the answer as well. Edward didn't know if Alice or any of his family would meet Bella. Surely they have probably heard of her with Bella being in the news and all, but he didn't know if he and Isabella would make it that far.

_After she is let go, she's gone for good. _

The thought of it hurt him, but he had to face reality. There was no way, he thought, that someone like Isabella would actually want to be with him. Not when she has the world at her fingertips. So Edward shook his head and looked up to his sister as he gulped.

"No." He told her and Alice squinted her eyes at him whilst making a face.

"Of course, you find someone worth keeping yet you won't introduce us. How typical." Her voice dripped with sarcasm, but a hint of truth in it as well.

"Alice, you don't understand…" Edward began, but Alice just laughed, grabbing her purse as she headed for the door.

"Can you understand this?" She lifted her middle finger, forcing him to smirk and let out a breathy chuckle as she walked out, slamming the door behind her.

"Thanks for the food." Edward called out, and just heard Alice murmur a low _your welcome_ and went on her way. He laughed and rubbed his chin just before standing up and heading back to his bedroom. His clock was set for six and he had a little less than three hours left to sleep, and only five until he could see his Isabella once again.

Xx

"Chief, I really don't think this is a good idea." Sam said as he watched Charlie gear up in his bullet proof vest.

"I'm not paying you to think, Sam." Charlie told him, latching on the side of the vest. He pulled his gun out of the pocket and set it down on the drawer just before grabbing his shirt and setting it over him, covering his vest.

"No gun, no back up, no safety. I'm sorry, but this is bull shit. Your gonna get yourself killed." Sam said, watching as Charlie ignored him just as he headed out the door, "Chief!" At this point, Charlie had stopped and spun around, his eyes a hard glare that could have stopped anyone in their tracks.

"You listen to me boy," Charlie began, "They have my daughter. And if I have to risk my life to get her back, then you better believe I'm going to do that." He was pointed at Sam, as if he had a gun in his hand. Whether or not there was one, Sam stood still while he gulped, his Adam's apple bobbing. "You got that?" Charlie finally hissed and Sam nodded quickly just as his Chief turned on his feet and headed downstairs. He reached for his cell phone and set it in his pocket just as he found Phil and Renee sitting on the couch in the police department.

"You ready?" Charlie asked Phil who was flushed – clutching a silver container to his chest as he nodded. "Then let's go." Charlie turned back as he began checking over everything – making sure everything was in its place before he left.

"You'll be okay." He heard Renee whisper behind him, the sound of fabric against fabric. "You can get our baby back."

"I'll get her back." Phil said, and Charlie nearly had to leave before he started yelling at the top of his lungs. Bella wasn't _his_ baby. It was Charlie and Renee's, and Phil very well knew that. And before Renee could even kiss Phil, Charlie turned and headed out the door.

"Charlie!" He heard Renee yell, the door of the building opening. "Charlie! Wait!" She yelled and Charlie stopped, feeling hands on his back as Renee appeared in front of him. "Please. Be careful."

"I'll try." Charlie just muttered, looking off in the distance because he just couldn't look in her eyes. He had finally walked away, and both he and Phil got into the car – not even speaking of the scenario or what the outcome may be.

Two hours into the drive and they were almost at Seattle. Phil was fidgeting, holding the case full of money close to his chest as if someone were going to rip it out. Charlie glanced over at him, chuckling to himself as he shook his head, gripping the steering wheel even harder.

"Your not use to this kind of thing, are you?" He asked, glancing at Phil who shot him a glare.

"No, sorry. My stepdaughter usually doesn't get kidnapped for my money everyday." Phil snapped, Charlie raised his hands in defense. "If I ever find out who these fuckers are, I'm going to kill them."

"If they don't kill you first." Charlie muttered under his breath. Phil probably didn't even know how to handle a gun. Plus that and the fact that he looked like he was getting ready to wet himself. What Renee, Charlie thought, ever saw in him is completely baffling. Charlie just rolled his eyes.

"Aren't you the least bit…" Phil began before gulping, "Nervous?"

"Of course." Charlie said, shifting in his seat. "I have no proof that my daughter is fine. This is a big leap for me."

"What are we suppose to do?" Phil asked as his hands began to sweat, "Just hand over the money?"

"That's what they said." Charlie began, "They gave us a location and a trash bin to put it in."

"A trash bin? Great." Phil laughed, shaking his head, "That's eight hundred thousand dollars and we are putting in the garbage. This seems like a _perfect_ plan."

At this point, Charlie was just blocking out his voice. How could he be so concerned about the money? When his stepdaughter was lying, for all they know, in a dungeon somewhere? How could this possibly be his main priority? As they reached Seattle, Charlie glanced at his map and began down a dark neighborhood.

Once they reached the destination he whistled at Phil, who was frozen in his seat, to get out. Both of them got out, feeling the rain fall on their head as they glanced around the dark alley they had found themselves in. "There is suppose to be a trash can with a red V on it!" Charlie yelled over the thunder and Phil nodded as the two began looking.

Finally, behind a pile of boxes Charlie had found it. He snapped at Phil who was searching on the opposite side. Phil ran towards him, and Charlie took a step back. The instructions were very clear when they said they wanted Phil to put the money in. Phil looked back at Charlie who backed off with widened eyes. Charlie just motioned for him to do it, and finally Phil turned back and opened the metal silver garbage can, setting down the case just before jumping backwards in case something was going to happen. Charlie rolled his eyes and whistled once more, watching as Phil jogged his way back to the car.

"You alright?" Charlie asked, and Phil nodded, gulping as he put his head into his hands. The two had then looked up to the trash can and both jumped at the sight of a man dressed in all black holding the silver case.

"Fuck!" Phil gasped in horror, and both of them watched as the man, whoever he was, nod to them before heading back down the alley. Chief Swan had an urge to go after him, but decided against it.

It wasn't worth it.

Xx

Six o'clock had rolled right on by and Edward had already been up, exercised and showered. He was on his way out the door, locking it behind him before he stopped at _Gypsy's Café and Pub_ for dinner for both him and Isabella. He drove himself to the strip club, stuffing the food in his bag as he parked along the side. Whilst walking through, he ignored the girls who began touching him – like they normally did when he arrived. Usually he'd pay more attention, but he had just walked right on by and went to the back door where he headed down the stairs towards the hallway. When he opened it – his eyes had laid upon something he hadn't seen before – Felix, Caius and Jane still here when usually they went home during the night.

"What's going on?" Edward asked, holding his bag close to him that contained the food. It was odd for Felix and Caius to be standing outside of Aro's office, and even odder that Jane was with them as well. _Something had to have happened, something must be going on. _

"We got the money." Caius had finally replied and Edward's eyes had widened. "Aro is in there with Alec. They are counting it as we speak. Told us to keep watch."

"Let me in there." Edward said, moving past Felix who growled at him, but returning him with a sharp glare. Felix backed off and Edward walked right inside, seeing Aro at his desk that was rid of his computer – now stacked with money. There were tons, just enough which looked like the right amount. "Aro… You said you weren't going to do the trade until next week. What the fuck is up?"

"Oh Chief Swan can be very negotiable." Aro laughed, clasping his hands together as he looked over at Alec who nodded. "That's all of it? Every penny? Correct?" He asked, and Alec nodded. Edward glanced between the two, and then watched as Aro lifted his fingers to his chin. Something devious was going on in his mind and Edward could tell. He watched as Aro stroked his hand down the bills that stacked before him, smirking as whatever the plan was, grew faster and faster.

But what Edward was more concerned about is the fact that he had less time than planned to be with Isabella. Tonight, would be there last night together. His feet twitched in her direction, hoping that she was awake so he could break it down gently to her. Maybe even tonight, he'd be able to kiss her lips – just once. Just for the memory, so he can go on and always remember her, but not like he was going to forget. Edward's arm wrapped around his waist as he felt as if he had just been kicked in the stomach. One night. It's all they had. It wouldn't be enough. Not enough for him to say goodbye.

"All of it is here, Sir." Alec said, interrupting Edward's thoughts.

"Well, this certainly is a surprise. And none is tampered with?" He asked, watching as Alec shook his head.

"I went over the majority of it with a black light. Nothing seems to be out of place. I can double check?" He suggested and Aro nodded, setting his hand to his shoulder as Alec began prepping for the black light once more.

"He was true to his words." Aro smirked, his fingers tapping along his chin as he let out a soft sigh. "Oh, what a wonderful world it truly is. All of this, my dear boy," Aro began, his arms outstretched around the bills, "This is all of Dwyer's money."

"And your letting her go now?" Edward asked, but he knew the answer.

Aro had smirked and stroked the bills once more, shaking his head as he brushed his long black hair back. "You see Edward, life is just a game." Aro had walked around his desk and headed towards Edward who stood still, "You have to play in order to win. You can't expect to hang around the same spot and reach the finish line, can you?"

"No." Edward answered coldly, watching as Aro began circling around him.

"I didn't think Swan was going to give up so easily. Of course, I knew Dwyer would. But Swan, he surprised me. No one even followed us back here. It's a little too good." Aro stopped back in front of Aro, and then looked at Alec as he tapped his chin. "This game just got very interesting to play. I should have pushed the price higher if I knew he was so willingly going to hand it over."

"Maybe, you still can." Alec offered, and Edward shot him a glare.

"My thought exactly. If not now eight hundred thousand, why don't we just push it to another eight hundred thousand? Well, we'd have more than a millions dollars! So much we could do… This has to be done." Aro laughed, clapping his hands in delight.

_This was not the answer I was expecting._

They were going to keep her around longer, and that little fact did not sit well with Edward who began shaking. As much as he hated the fact to let Isabella go, nothing could be compared to the feeling that she would be stuck her longer than anticipated. Rage heated around his body and his fists tightened in large balls. He was going to explode – but made sure that it wasn't here. Maybe he could talk Aro out of it – give him some kind of sense that all of this was not okay.

"Aro, you can't keep pushing this. The more you prolong it, the worse things can happen." Edward finally began, "You have your money. Now let her go. You're pushing this too far." He said through clenched teeth, and Aro stopped – as well as Alec as they both stared at him.

"Excuse me?" Aro asked, letting out a humorless chuckle. "Last time I checked, I was still your boss Mr. Masen. And what I say goes. If I want more money, then I am going to get more money despite the cost."

_There is a place in hell for people like you_.

Edward wanted to say it out loud but stood still, and watched as Aro stalked up towards him. "All I am saying," Edward breathed, "Is if we extend this, then things will get out of hand. The hunt for us will continue. And we will get caught."

"Not unless you give them something to catch us with." Aro raised a brow as he turned and headed back towards his desk. "Go watch the girl. I am done with you. Alec, get me my computer. We most do another note to Swan."

And with that said, Edward had turned and left, ignoring Felix who chuckled at him. Edward headed down the stairs towards Bella's room, but stopped right in front of the door. What was he going to say? How could he possibly tell her that his boss wasn't finished with this mindless game and she would be in here for another few months? How much could she possibly take? Edward gripped his hair and groaned inwardly, stomping his feet as he tried to think of something to do, _anything_. He would give her the world if he could – but now he wanted her to have her freedom. And with all of these thoughts, one had grown into another and then he paused. The thought was brilliant, just a little crazy, but it just had to work.

He knew what he had to do.

* * *

**Author's Note; I know, I know. It wasn't that interesting, but I had to do this chapter in order for the next one to be HUGE. Next one is the big one, I promise you. This one is still important though.**

**Sorry there wasn't much Edward and Bella, trust me, your gonna get loads of that in the next few chapters.**

**Thanks to my beta Lauren!  
****And to you readers!**

**Still working on TOSOY chapter, for the some of you who are wondering.**

**And may I point out (just to let you know) that I work equally hard on both stories. It's just the reason why AMWYL gets updated more than TOSOY is because TOSOY chapter's are much longer. So one chapter of TOSOY is like two chapters of AMWYL.**

**Just letting you guys know so you don't think I'm abondaning it or something.**

**Alright, that's all for now.**

**Leave me reviews! Please?**

**Next chapter should be up within the next three weeks.**

**xoxo**

**shelby**

**p.s. follow me on twitter www(dot)twitter(dot)com/xbitterangelx**


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Bella sat in her room, just having woken up from a very vivid dream of her sitting under the bright stars – it was the second time she had had this dream. However, this time, when she turned towards Edward – his mask was gone and she didn't have to imagine what he looked like. He smiled at her as his fingers came out and played with the curls that rested on her chin. She smiled in response to his touch, bringing herself closer as they enveloped each other once again. It was right before he had leaned into kiss her that she woke up.

Bella flipped through the pages of _War and Peace_ while her other books scattered around her, the empty black bag hanging over the bar of her bed.

"_You can love a person dear to you with a human love, but an enemy can only be loved with divine love._" Bella quoted, her knee up slightly as she rested her chin on it, flipping through the pages once again. It was in this time when she heard the locks on the other side of the door move, and her hands froze. She grabbed all the books near her, as well as the empty bag and shoved them under her blanket, sitting on top of them. The edge of Oliver Twist dug into her back, but she took the pain, knowing that if someone other than Edward found these, they would question on where she obtained them from.

But Bella visibly relaxed when Edward walked in the door, his back towards her as he shut it quietly. Bella sat up, reaching behind her and rubbing the spot of her skin that was indented from the books.

"You scared me. I thought you were one of them." She let out a soft laugh, but noticed that he still hadn't turned towards her. His forearms were resting against the door, his bronze hair dipping low as she could see the tension in his back. "Edward?" Bella asked softly, stepping onto the floor where she winced at the coldness of it. She bit at her bottom lip, stepping closer to him where he stood unmoving. "Edward, what's wrong?" She was now directly behind him and she reached to touch his shoulder, letting her fingertips fall down to the bare of his arm where his shirt cut off.

He went tranquil at their skin to skin contact and she noticed immediately.

At this time, Bella had watched as Edward turned around, slowly but surely, his body now facing hers. His eyes were hard and filled with disdain and Bella wondered for a moment what could have possibly gotten him in this mood.

"Pack your things." He told her, directing his head towards the stack of books that were now visible from the blanket being dropped to the floor. "You're leaving."

Bella didn't know how to react to his statement. On one hand, her heart was pounding with anticipation, but it smiled in happiness because she was finally going home. On the other hand, her stomach churned and she felt sick. _He said we had a week left_… It was strange for her to feel like this, she thought, strange that even though he was granting her freedom, she was feeling her heartbreak at the second. As much as she hated it here, and as much as she hated everyone who put her through this, she didn't hate him. And the thought of never seeing him again made her weak with sorrow.

"L-Leaving?" She stuttered for a moment, watching as he nodded. "But, I thought…"

"I know, but you're going home tomorrow." He waited for her to move, to do something, but she just stood there in shock. So out of anger and misery Edward growled and moved past her, grabbing the empty back and shoving the books into it.

"What happened? Why did they change their mind?" She asked from behind him, watching as he violently shoved the books into the bag.

"They didn't." Edward snarled, forcing Bella to wince. "Dwyer gave us the money, but my boss is determined to push this longer. He wants more money. The fucking prick." Edward shook his head, putting in the last few books. "I'm not going to sit around here and watch you rot for another two months. I'm done with this shit. And I'm getting you the hell out of here and back where you belong."

"How are you exactly going to do that?" She asked, her hands covering over her stomach as she watched him zip her bag, throwing it to the side and she flinched when it hit the wall, falling onto the bed.

"I haven't planned that far yet." He told her, heading into the bathroom.

"What? You just plan to walk out with me hiding under your jacket?" She questioned, walking five steps behind him, watching as he stopped to look around, as if he were contemplating something. "Hello?" She repeated, now getting agitated by his sudden change of heart to want to take it upon his wing to save her. "Are you stupid or something? You're going to get caught! Then you'll be fucked!"

"I really don't give a shit about what happens to me." He growled, reaching for the sink as he gathered her things, stalking past her and back to her bag where he unzipped the front pocket, shoving everything in.

"Well I do!" She yelled behind him, grabbing his arm to stop him but he was too strong. "Edward!" She exclaimed, tugging on his shirt to stop him. Finally she had given up on the tugging, and just reached for the bag, trying to rip it from his grip. She had succeeded and began unpacking everything, unzipping the main zipper and dumping the books onto the bed.

"What the fuck are you doing?" He scowled.

"I'm not going to let you put yourself in danger just because you feel sorry for me!" Bella responded, throwing all her toiletries on her bed as well, shoving the now empty bag to the side.

"It's not about me feeling sorry for you; it's what's best for you! I'm not going to let you sit around here and pretend like its okay! You don't deserve that, Isabella! And I'll be damned if I'm going to let him try and take more time away from you and your family." Edward had reached for the bag and Bella reached forward, grabbing his arm and forcing him to stop.

"Please…" She spoke softly and the tremor in her voice caused him to freeze. "Just… Wait. Okay? Let's just, let's talk about this. Alright? You know just as well as I do that I can't just walk out of here."

"I'm going to get you out." Edward began, turning towards her and trembling. Bella nodded and lifted her hand to his cheek to calm him, his body relaxing at her touch.

"Okay, alright. Just calm down." She whispered softly, her free hand caressing his shoulder, "Please. Your all worked up." She moved, gripping his hand and reached for the books on her bed, shoving them to the side so they could sit down. Once they did, Edward let go of her, his forearms going against his knees as his hands went up to his hair. Bella sat next to him, her fingertips running up and down his spine to help relax him, which he did. It didn't take long for her warmth to spread to his whole body, forcing and willing himself to calm down.

"I have to tell you something." He whispered hoarsely. Bella leaned forward, setting her chin against his shoulder as she hummed her approval for him to continue. "This whole thing…?" He paused, gulping as his eyes tightened. He knew what he was about to say could ultimately shift their whole relationship, but he had to do it – it was time for her to know the truth. "It was my idea."

Bella paused, lifting her chin as she raised a brow. "What do you mean?"

"I mean…" He paused, gripping his hair tighter as he could feel bile stirring in the pit of his stomach, "You're kidnapping… It was my idea. I'm the one who brought it to my boss. I'm the one who planned it all." He had never told her that it was all his idea – and quite frankly she had an inkling, but didn't want to believe it. Hearing it from his mouth, though, forced her to pull away and drop her hand. That's when Edward turned to her – seeing her staring down at the ground. "Isabella… Please… Hate me all you want, but I need you to know something, alright?" He began, watching as she looked to him. "I didn't know you then. I know that makes no excuse, but if I knew what a wonderful person you are and how… How you just make me feel so fucking happy, I would have never put you through it. Honestly. I was… I _am_ stupid. Fucking stupid. And I'm sorry. God, I'm so sorry."

That's when Edward turned back and stood up, walking to the wall to lean against it to support himself. Bella shifted on the bed, her legs tucking underneath her as she tried to find words – but just couldn't seem to find the right ones.

"You don't have to say anything," He began again; "I don't expect you to. But if you can give me until tomorrow, just give me your corporation until I get you home… Then you can hate me all you want. Just please," He paused, sucking in a deep breath as he turned back to her, seeing that she was still not looking at him. "Please, just let me keep you safe." He pleaded and finally turned away, back towards the wall where his forehead rested against the cold surface.

Edward knew that Bella probably hated him now – and after all they had been through and the feelings that were always there, it was all thrown away because she now knew the truth. He couldn't have hid that from her, she had to find out eventually or it would have constantly eaten at him – or worse, she would have found out herself. And while Edward silently kicked himself for telling her, Bella looked up to see him still against the wall.

She knew she should have hated him – should have yelled at him to get out and never walk back into her life again, but she just couldn't. It was odd for her, odd to feel so connected to someone that no matter how much they hurt you, in the end you'll always feel like you need them. She stared at Edward, who clutched his fists to his side, and she took in a deep breath – he was hurting. He hated that he did this to her and she could feel his regret and grief echoing off the walls. That's when she decided to stand up and walk to him. Edward froze once he heard her feet on the floor, wondering what she could possibly be doing, but she continued walking until she reached him.

Instead of saying anything, she wrapped her arms around his middle, her chest pressing flush against his back as her head reached to the middle of his shoulder blades. She turned her head, resting her cheek against him as she closed her eyes.

"I forgive you." She whispered softly, feeling his hands touch her arms that wound around his waist. He wanted to tell her that she shouldn't forgive him, but why would he waste an act of forgiveness? It seemed worthless to play around the past, and if she was willing to forgive him then he would try to forgive himself. So he turned in her arms so that he was looking down at her, his arms around her shoulders as he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, and the two stood blissfully together, covered in absolution and something they just couldn't put their finger on – at least not yet.

Xx

Edward sat at the bar, the clock nearing five in the morning. He drank his scotch, watching as Felix threw a hundred dollar bill on the stage for the dancer. Edward's eyes focused in on the keys that half hung out of his pocket, jingling every time he moved. The strip club, as surprising as it was, was very crowded tonight – the perfect night to steal the keys. Edward walked up to the stage, whistling at a stripper to get her attention. She was new, so Edward didn't know her name, but when she came down with a big smile, he made it clear that these intentions were not for him.

Edward whispered in her ear, directing to Felix who enjoyed another stripper on the pole in front of him, cheering like a mad man when she did the butterfly. The stripper Edward was talking too had smiled and nodded at his proposal and took the fifty dollars out of his hands he had given her. He watched as the stripper swung her hips towards Felix, catching his attention. Edward grabbed a beer and headed over when the stripper began giving Felix a lap dance and Felix went wide eyed at surprise – normally you'd have to pay for this.

Tonight was his lucky night – or so he thought.

Edward walked to Felix, nudging his shoulders as he smirked down at him – Felix still in shock at this woman who was undressing herself right in front of him – just for his viewing pleasures. Edward handed Felix the beer and he was now fully distracted. Edward leaned down, pretending as if he were getting a better look – and kept his eyes right on the stripper as he reached for Felix's pocket. During this time Felix was nearly salivating at the mouth, his eyes never leaving the girl.

It took Edwards seconds to slowly slip the keys out of his pockets.

Once he had them, he shoved them in his back pocket and turned away, heading for the back door. He raced down the hallway and back to the stairway down to Bella's room just before unlocking the locks. He opened the door to find Bella sitting on her bed, her arms around her legs that folded near her chest.

"Alright, I have the keys." Edward told her, walking to the bed and handing her Felix's keys. Bella took them reluctantly, feeling the weight and the coldness of them. "Hey…" He began, sitting down beside her, seeing the prominent fear in her eyes, "What's wrong?"

"Edward…" Bella began, looking back to him as she set the keys to the side. "What if this goes wrong? What if they catch me? They'll kill me."

"They won't kill you. I won't let them. And they won't even have the chance, okay? This will work." He told her, reaching around her back as he kissed the top of her head. "Please, Isabella. You can't be scared. Not now. You've gotta be brave. You were brave all those other times you tried to escape." He paused, pulling away to touch her cheek, forcing her to look at him. "What's different now?"

"I just…" She began as tears began falling down her face, "I don't want you to get in trouble."

"Don't worry about me. Okay?" He said, placing a soft kiss to her forehead once again as he brushed away her tears. "You focus on what you have to do. This will work, Isabella. I promise. Do you remember what to do?"

"Wait for your signal…" She began with a gulp, "Third door on the left, go through the vent, find white building, find your car, which is a Jeep Cherokee, behind the very back building, get in, lock the door, and wait."

"That's my girl." He praised, running his fingers through her hair as he brought her closer to him. "Don't worry, alright?"

"Do you have to go?" She trembled, reaching down to grab his hands – lacing their fingers together.

"If I stay, then they'll get suspicious. I'll be back later and my car will be exactly where I say it will be. I promise you." He tilted her head back, forcing her to look up at him. "Do you trust me?" He asked softly and Bella nodded instantly. "I have to go, try and get some sleep. Alright?" Bella nodded, feeling him slip away just after he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I'll always be here to protect you." He whispered to her, and as he pulled away their intertwined fingers went loose and she watched as he walked out. She was now on her own.

Of course, when the hours passed, Bella found out that she could not sleep even though her eyes were becoming heavy – she couldn't even possibly think of sleeping, her body too alert and nervous. She watched as the small brown eyed man came in and out, giving her food and make crude remarks that she ignored. Once he left, she gripped the keys that lay under her blanket and waited for the sign.

Edward went home that morning, too anxious to sleep. He pulled out his gun, and added the bullets into the magazine. Russell lay next to him in front of the couch, ears propped up and watching. Edward then cocked his gun, glancing down at Russell sat up. Edward set his hand on the top of his dogs head, scratching behind his ear as he waited for eight o'clock to roll around.

Hours later Edward headed to the strip club, and once arrived parked right where he told Isabella he would be. He grabbed his mask and slid it on, as well as grabbing his jacket and lifting his hood. He checked his gun once more and then headed towards the strip club. Already opened, Edward walked through the parking lot, stopping between two cars as he got the perfect shot of the window to the left. It was the window near the bar, and he could see clearly that no one was in his way. He lifted the gun, aiming carefully and then pulled the trigger.

Alec flirted with the stripper who sat herself at the bar, the two exchanging numbers for later. Felix sat near the stage with his buddies, cheering on Alexis, the new girl. On the far right was Jane, watching the boys with disgust as she shook her head, ready to turn around and head back to Aro's up until a crash filled the room. Everyone screamed, and some even bolting down instinctively with the shot of a gun. People began scrambling, trying to find their way out, and Jane looked to where the alcohol at the bar all fell from the bullet hitting the shelves.

"Someone call the cops!" A voice screamed, and Jane's eyes widened. She dipped through the crowd that rushed to the door and found Felix in the corner, cocking his gun.

"Felix!" Jane screamed, keeping his attention. "Do not let anyone call the cops! They will search the place and possibly find the girl. You need to go find the shooter. _Now_. Go!" She yelled and Felix nodded, heading off and past the crowd that tried to escape.

Jane turned to the door, opening it wide and flying down the stairs and to the hallway. She ran down to the door that led down the other stairs, finding Caius sitting in the chair near the door. "Caius!" Jane exclaimed, gesturing for him to follow. He left his spot and ran up the stairs. "Something is happening. There's a shooter. Go outside, find Felix, and help him." She told him, slamming the door to the stairway once he got up. He nodded, racing off to the opposite end. Jane then knocked on Aro's door, and when he muttered a grant to enter, Jane opened the door – flushed and widen eyes. She stepped completely in and closed the door behind her.

"Aro…" She began. Aro was already up, cocking his gun as he nodded his head.

"I know." He replied and began locking his drawers. He then made his way past his desk and headed towards her. "I heard the gunshots."

"What do we do?" Jane cried.

"What we always do." He said sternly, grabbing his coat as he then opened the door. Jane followed his footsteps in step and made her way next to him. "Who was the gunman?" He asked.

"The others are out looking for him." She paused, looking over to her boss as they continued down the hallway. "Do you think it could be the police?"

"Possibly." Aro answered truthfully. "This is why we must be careful. Is the girl locked downstairs?"

"Would you like me to check?" Jane asked.

"No. Caius was just down there, I'm sure she's fine." He sighed as they reached the door. "Let's just get this over with." And the two opened the door, traveling up the stairs and to the main room which was now empty.

Edward stood in the woods, watching as cars began leaving the lot. It wasn't long before he saw Felix, Caius, Alec, and Demetri all with their guns and searching the area. Edward lifted his hand, shooting off which echoed against the tress. All four men turned their attention towards the sound and bolted off in the direction, sending Edward as far away as possible, leading them towards him so Isabella could make her escape.

A little earlier, Bella's head popped up from the echoing from a gun shot and her heart began racing. _That was the sign_. Quickly she got up, grabbing the black backpack on her shoulders that were filled with Edward's books, as well as the keys.

"Caius!" A voice yelled and Bella heard footsteps running up the stairs. With shaky hands, she began unlocking the locks from the inside. It was difficult because of her nerves, but she did it successfully and opened the door. It only cracked open, and she looked up to see a chain lock. Bella took a step back and slammed all of her weight onto the door and the chain buckled immediately. She glanced around once the door was wide open, and turned to the room just before shutting the door. She looked inside of her home for the past month and took in a deep breath. It was a good riddance kind of goodbye, but there was still just a hint of sadness. Because of this room, Edward and Bella met – and she silently thanked it for that and shut the door – locking it behind her.

The light of the stairway was flicking – and Bella gulped as she headed up the stairs, reaching the top as she looked at the crack of the door at the bottom, seeing nothing in the hallway. She stood up and grabbed the knob – it clicking open as a bright white light came into her view. She had made it this far with Bree, and the memory caused her to flinch as she stayed cautiously behind the door. A door began to open and Bella quietly closed hers, dipping down to the crack, and seeing feet in the hallway moving in the opposite direction.

"Who was the gunman?" A soft voice, Bella remembered as _A_, asked and Bella watched as two bodies began down the hallway.

"The others are out looking for him. Do you think it could be the police?" A girl's voice said – and Bella recognized it as the blue eyed girl.

"Possibly." _A_ supposed. "This is why we must be careful. Is the girl locked downstairs?"

"Would you like me to check?" Blue eyes asked, and Bella froze, ready to bolt down the stairs.

"No. Caius was just down there, I'm sure she's fine. Let's just get this over with." _A _said, and went through the door Bella and Bree had mistakenly went through on that unfaithful night. Bella let out a gust of air and relaxed and when she realized she was in the clear, she opened the door again – this time not waiting around, and bolted for the third door on the left.

It was locked.

Bella took out her keys with shaky hands, once again, and fumbled with the locks.

"Hold on!" She heard a voice yell and she lost her breath. She dropped her keys from her nerves and quickly picked them up, finally unlocking the door and opening it – closing and locking it behind her. She took in a deep breath, catching the tears that fell from her face from the anxiety and put the keys back in the pocket of her black backpack Edward had given her.

She looked around the room, seeing all filing cabinets – gazing to each and every one of them as she tried to remember Edward's words.

_When you reach the third room on the left, you'll see black filing cabinets. _

_The third one listed as C has a vent behind it big enough for you to crawl in. _

_If you follow the vent straight through, you will end up to the back of the building._

Bella counted the cabinets and found C, shoving it to the side to reveal the vent, just big enough for her. She reached into her backpack, taking out the screwdriver Edward had given her and began unscrewing on each corner. Once finished she took the screws out, setting them aside as well as the screen and she shrugged off her backpack, shoving it in before her. Bella climbed in backwards, gripping the filing cabinet and pushing it back in front of the vent.

She kicked her back pack forward as she crawled backwards until she hit an intersection, turning herself around and continuing forward on her knees. She pushed her pack repeatedly as she climbed through the vent, finally feeling the coldness of outside air. She relished in the feeling of it and then found the end.

_There is a junction in the vent a little before the end of it._

_Turn yourself around and kick the screen out. If you kick hard enough, it'll come off easy. _

_Go straight through, do not hesitate._

Bella did as she remembered, turning herself in the intersection so that she was planted on her ass, sliding herself to the end of it. The screen was bolted shut just like the other one, but Edward was determined that if she hit hard enough she would pop it open. She closed her eyes, reeling her legs in and then with all the force she had shoved them forward. The screen broke easily, the screws popping out and falling to the ground as well as the screen that made a loud clattering noise.

_There is an eight foot drop straight to the ground._

_Just jump._

_Don't look. You'll land in a patch of grass and it'll soften the fall._

Bella ignored the stinging pain in her legs and knocked her backpack down, waiting until she heard it hit the ground before she closed her eyes and slid out, falling straight to the bottom. She landed on her back, her head hitting her backpack as the rest of her landed in grass just like Edward said. She groaned softly at the impact but the dizziness in her head came back to a full stop, Bella looked around – seeing nothing but storage buildings. She slowly stood up, and slung her backpack on just before grabbing the screen and throwing it in the nearest garbage.

Gunshots echoed off in the woods and Bella dipped down behind the garbage can, watching as the people ran past the alley she was in.

_When you're outside you'll either have to go left or right. _

_Go left. _

_When you reach the end of the alley, you'll see a small white building with a poster of a man in the window off in your distance. I'm keeping everyone as far away as you as possible, but you need be careful while getting to the building. _

_Stay hidden in the shadows. _

Bella headed down left and reached the end, glancing around to see no one near her. She could see the white building, the poster of the man staring right at her in the window. She stayed low and walked towards the shadows the trees were casting in the lot.

Felix ran around the different lots – trying to find this mysterious shooter. He ran to his left, keeping his gun at his side as he reached the end of the strip club. Just as he did, he saw something moving behind the Insurance building next to them. The object moved in the darkness, he could have sworn it was small enough to be a woman. Felix narrowed his eyes at the object and targeted in on it.

Bella saw the brown eyed man spot her, and she pressed herself against the wall – hidden unless he turned the corner. She heard his footsteps come closer and closer, and she could feel her stomach mixing with bile as she tried to keep in her whimpers.

Felix walked closer, his gun close as he neared the corner, almost next to it until he heard gunshots from the distance. He turned his attention towards it, swore under his breath and then finally turned the corner – only to see no one there.

As the brown eyed man walked away, Bella was on the clear opposite side; she held her hand to her chest, her heart pounding against her ribcage painfully from the adrenaline. She leaned down – catching her breath as she rested her arm over her waist, pulling herself together as she then began looking around.

_Once you reached behind the white building, there will be an exact replica after it. Behind that building will be my car._

_Get in, lock it, hide in the back seat in the darkness, and wait for me there._

Bella saw the building in front of her and quickly dashed to it, reaching the back within seconds to only find the black jeep in her view. She let out a sigh of relief and quickly walked to it, opening the back door and climbing in hastily. _It smells like Edward_, she thought, finding herself smiling happily that she had actually made it.

Bella leaned between the front two seats, pressing the lock button on the driver's side just before settling back down in the back. It was times like these Bella wish she had her bed to crawl into, but she stayed hidden in the darkness, bringing her knees close to her chest as she wrapped her arms around them, her pack lying on her feet. She contemplated reading something, but the adrenaline and her already tired body decided against it. She felt safe enough to lay her head down on the leather and fall asleep.

Edward had finally shaken off Felix and Caius, thanking whatever higher power was above humans that they didn't find him. He dipped through the forest, jumping over branches until he reached the lot with his car. He looked at it for a moment, hoping, praying, that Bella would be in there. He pulled out his keys, gulping as he took a few steps forward and finally reached his car. He couldn't see through it due to his tinted windows, so he unlocked it slowly, closing his eyes as the door opened.

"Isabella?" He asked softly, but there was no response. He slowly climbed in, and looked over the driver's seat to only see a pair of converses sticking out of the darkness. He reached up, turning on the light and let out a big sigh of relief when he saw her sleeping body in the back. He smiled to himself, wasting no time and shutting the light off – closing the door softly and starting up the car.

As the jeep pulled out of the parking lot, Felix had jumped out of the forest in just enough time to see the black car driving out and into the night. He tilted his head to the side, his eyes scrutinizing it as he realized he had seen that car before. The license plate was too far to read, but he could see a clear crack in the back window – and with that he turned around and headed back.

The drive from the strip club to Edward's apartment was a good forty five minutes away – he enjoyed that he worked far enough from home because this way, they wouldn't be able to find him had they wanted to. The radio was playing soft music and Edward continually looked back in his rearview mirror, though he couldn't see Bella and only her arm that rested on the back seat. He smiled to himself, taking in a deep breath that they had actually gotten away with it.

It was a crazy idea, but it worked.

Now all he had to do was get her home without the Volturi finding out that he did it, and without her parents thinking that he was responsible for her kidnapping. He truly was, but he knew she wouldn't want him to get caught. That's when he realized that he would let her sleep in his bed for the night, but tomorrow he would send her on her way back home. It struck him hard, but he knew it was what he had to do and what he needed to do. Edward tightened his grip on the steering wheel and continued forth to his home, the streetlamps shining and glazing over his car as he reached downtown Seattle, and finally Lake Union had come into view.

He pulled past his favorite Greek restaurant, relishing on how nice it would be if he could take Bella out to dinner there. He rubbed his chin and then threaded his fingers through his hair. Once he reached his building, he parked his car and turned it off – glancing around to see no one near them. Edward stepped out of his car, putting his keys in his pocket as he went to the back door. He opened it slowly, catching her sleeping body as she fell back from leaning on the door.

"Isabella?" He whispered softly, hearing her moan softly from sleep. "I'm going to carry you, alright?" He told her and she nodded, grabbing her bag and setting it in her lap as Edward gracefully cradled her in his arms. He inched closer to the button to lock it and successfully touched it and then closed the door with his foot. Bella had her hood up, so it was easy for him to relax and not worry that someone would notice her. Edward inched to the front door, knocking it with his foot as Laurent came to the door, opening it for him.

"Hey, Edward." Laurent said, glancing between him and the sleeping girl in his arms – her face slightly covered by her hood. "Is this her?" He asked and Edward nodded. Laurent worked at the front desk of the apartment building, and Edward had told him earlier that he was bringing his girlfriend with him tonight. It was nice using Bella and the word girlfriend in the same sentence, but Edward knew that is was probably the only time he'd use it.

"Can you get my keys?" He asked and Laurent nodded, reaching in Edward's pocket as he pulled out the keys. The three of them went to the elevator and rode up to the eighth floor. Once arrived, Edward carried Bella to his door and Laurent unlocked it for him and opened it wide. Edward thanked him and took his keys as he walked into his home. He shut the door with his foot. That's when Russell came out of the bedroom, ears propped up as he jumped along the sitting room and to the kitchen where Edward had just walked in. The dog was curious as to what his owner was holding and stood by his side, sniffing the hair that fell over his owner's arm. Russell whined softly and Edward shushed him, heading back into the bedroom where Russell followed.

Edward pulled down the covers with one hand just before setting Bella's body down. Russell went to the other side of the bed and watched intriguingly. Edward took off Bella's shoes, setting them down on the floor next to his bed as he finally grabbed the blankets and covered them up to her chest. Bella had stirred slightly, but he was amazed that she had slept through the whole time he was carrying her. He knew it would be completely inappropriate to sleep in the same bed, so he realized he would have to make a bed on the couch later when he returned.

He glanced down at Bella's sleeping form that had curled in the blankets instinctively, his hand reaching forward to touch her arm. She was absolutely beautiful, her dark curls dancing around her head, the pillow and some on her cheek. Her plump bottom lip nearly stuck out and Edward had an urge to trace it, but kept to himself. He watched as she muttered his name and he smiled, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to her forehead. It would be their last night together, but he wasn't upset that she was sleeping. He would have taken watching her sleep over nothing any day. He pushed some curls back before leaning down once again to kiss her temple.

"Sleep well, Angel." He whispered and reluctantly stood up, glancing at Russell who sat near the bed – as if he were keeping watch on Isabella. "Russell." Edward whispered, but the dog just moaned and ignored his owner, trotting to his bed in the corner and laying down, keeping his eyes open as he stared at the bed.

Edward was very surprised. It took Russell months for him to come around with Alice, and still to this day after three years he did not like Tanya (but that really wasn't a surprise). With Isabella, Russell took a liking to her so much that he felt the need to protect her. Edward just walked out, closing the door behind him as he got ready to leave for the strip club. Even though he wanted to stay with her, he knew that he had to act as if everything was perfectly normal, which meant he had to go back. He was surprised they hadn't called him yet, but he just reloaded his gun, grabbing his keys and locking the door behind him as he headed out.

Xx

Edward pulled into the parking lot of the strip club, noticing the absence in customers. He would have to put his game face on – act like he didn't know what had just happened in the past two hours for the sake of him but mostly Isabella. He opened his car door and locked it, noticing the glass shattered in the window he shot. He opened the door, sticking his gun in the slit of his jeans, covering it with his shirt. Alec stood at the bar, sweeping the glass from the broken alcohol bottles into the tin can. Edward walked up to him, hiding his smirk as he rubbed his chin.

"What happened?" Edward asked as if he were really curious.

"Dude, you fucking missed it." Alec chuckled, shaking his head as he set the broom to the side, "Some fucked up person shot through the window. We thought it was the cops, but they were just on a fucking shooting rampage, whoever they were. They went all the way to the back of the woods. I mean, who the fuck does that?"

"Man," Edward sighed, shaking his head. "Guess I missed a good show then."

"It was fucking strange, I can tell you that." Alec nodded and Edward chuckled, turning around as he headed towards the back door. Once down in the hallway he knocked on Aro's door who allowed him entrance. He walked in, rubbing his chin and noticed that Aro sat back in his chair, looking up at him and sighed softly.

"Heard what happened. Why didn't anyone fucking call me?" Edward growled – acting as if he were truly disappointed.

"We had it handled." Aro told him, moving in his chair to face him.

"And did you find the person?" Edward asked, crossing his arms over his chest. Aro shook his head and Edward huffed, turning around as if he were mad. "And what if it were the cops, Aro? What if they fucking know and they are just trying to rile us up or some shit?"

"It wasn't the cops." Aro said confidently.

"And how do you know that?" Edward asked, raising a curious brow.

"Because. If the cops knew, they would have swarmed the place. They wouldn't be dicking around. It was someone trying to show off." Aro said in disgust, shaking his head as he began rubbing his face. "Whoever they are, they have seemed to have left."

"And the girl?" Edward asked, wondering if they knew that she was missing.

"Downstairs. It had nothing to do with her." Aro said, leaning forward to click on his computer.

"You don't think… Someone knows?" Edward asked, "You know, maybe someone said something. Bragged to their friends and now this person is threatening us." Edward opted, and Aro glanced up to him from his computer.

"Is that what you think?"

"I don't fucking know. But who would just go shooting a fucking window at a strip club? It doesn't make sense." He shrugged.

"No, your right. It doesn't." Aro leaned back in his chair, lacing his fingers together as he raised a brow at Edward who stood straight. "Maybe it was Felix?"

"Fuck if I know." Edward shrugged. "Whoever it was – " And then before he could finish his sentence, the door of Aro's office busted open and both Edward and Aro looked to see Caius, flushed and panicked as he chest rose up and down.

"Caius?" Aro asked.

"The girl!" He began, stumbling gently. "She's gone!"

"What do you mean she's gone?" Aro shrieked, standing up and slamming his fists on his desk. "Are you sure of this?"

"She's not in her room!"

"Edward, go check! Now!" Aro yelled and picked up his phone and began dialing. Edward did as he was told, glaring at Caius as he walked past him, running down the steps and to the door even though he knew what the outcome would be.

Little did they know, Isabella was sleeping peacefully in his bed.

Edward smirked and just for show, looked around the room. When he felt like he had been down there long enough, he went back up the stairs and to the office. Aro looked up at him, pausing with whoever was on the other line. Edward looked at Aro with false worry and Aro cursed under his breath.

"Everyone, search this damn building. She can't be far. Go!" Aro yelled. As everyone scrambled out, searching the building, Edward ended out in the parking lot – pretending as if he were looking for Isabella. He searched around for show, walking around the lot slowly as he then traveled back into the club. Around an hour later, everyone ended back up in the office. Edward stood next to Aro who rubbed his temples – trying to contemplate on what to do.

"Any luck?" Aro asked softly, but no one said a word. "Do you understand what this means?" He growled between his teeth, but yet again no one responded. "We are thoroughly fucked if she is gone. If she is out of this building, then she knows where we are. We'll have to find somewhere else to hide." He paused, and everyone besides Edward looked down. "Who was the last one in her room before she was found missing?" That's when Caius raised his hand shakily, and Aro narrowed his eyes at him. "And she was there?"

"Yes, sir. She was sitting on the bed. I locked every lock, and only left when Jane called me up. I checked the locks and each were unlocked, and the chain, Sir, was broken." Caius said softly. "She had to have gotten a set of keys."

"And where would she have gotten those?" Aro hissed, but it stayed silent. "Everyone, show me your keys." Everyone began patting around and then pulled out their sets of keys – everyone except for Felix. His face went pale as he began searching through his pockets, and finally he gulped as everybody turned to him – including Aro. He stalked towards Felix, watching him as if he were prey. Felix, a much larger man than Aro, was still very afraid and he shrunk at Aro's glare. "Where are your keys, Felix?"

"I…" Felix began, his forehead now sweating bullets. "I had them… I swear I did… I haven't even been down there! She couldn't have possibly…" Felix stopped at the sight of Aro who pulled out his knife, shoving the blade into Felix's arm. Felix let out a loud shrill, forcing everyone's eyes to widen – everyone except Edward's.

"You have put us at a dangerous risk! You are lucky I don't blow your brains out for your stupidity! Because of you, the girl is gone! Now we have to move elsewhere! I suggest you leave my sight," He paused, digging out the knife and causing Felix to scream yet again, "Before this knife ends up slitting your throat." Felix held his bloody arm, running out of the room as quickly as he could. "Everyone, pack up. We are moving. Now." Aro sighed, and everyone left to retrieve their things. Aro walked back to his desk, sitting himself down at his desk.

Edward left the office with a satisfied grin on his lips.

Hours later, Caius and Demetri were pouring gasoline around the building, and Edward stood near the entrance and watched. Aro stepped through the trail left untouched, and made his way out the door where Edward followed him. They all stood outside the building and Demetri through the last can of gasoline in the building just before jumping back and pulling out a box of matches.

"What do we do now?" Edward asked, looking at Aro who stood next to him.

"We leave. Then we wait. Hopefully this will blow over soon." Aro sighed, crossing his arms as Demetri lit a match.

"If it doesn't? If they find us?" Edward asked softly. Aro turned his head towards him, just as the building combusted with fire.

"They won't." He said sternly, just before turning and leaving the building to burn.

* * *

**Author's Note; Phew. That only took me two days to write. I'm telling you, I'm on a fucking roll with this story.**

**I mean you've gotta give me some credit, I've updated like four times in the past three weeks .That's gotta be a fucking record or some shit.**

**So? What do you think? Please, tell me your thoughts. All of you! I really want to know!**

**Shout outs and thanks to my Beta Lauren,**

**And you guys for reading!**

**Now go review. Please? **

**love you.  
****xoxo  
****shelby**

**p.s. follow me on twitter www(dot)twitter(dot)com/xbitterangelx**


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Bella stirred awake from her dream, her body warm and soothed – her back no longer sore and she wondered why it wasn't. _The bed always makes my back sore_. She moved once again, relishing in the feel of the soft pillows that smelt of Edward and the blankets that allowed her more warmth. She wondered what had changed in her little room in the basement. As if it were a crashing water fall, things began filtering heavily in Bella's head. She had remembered she was no longer in that room in the basement any longer.

Bella's eyes flew open; she looked beneath her, noticing white sheets. She looked around, seeing a blue-gray wall and a bookshelf filled with multiple spines that Bella couldn't read at the moment. She turned and looked to the table next to her, seeing a clock nearing ten in the morning. She pressed her hand to her forehead, trying to remember how she got here, wherever here was exactly. She slowly sat up, hearing something move in the corner. She gasped in surprise, seeing a reddish orange dog, its ears perked as its curled tail swished from side to side.

"Hi?" Bella said softly, watching as the dog walked to the bed, setting its head down at the side of it as it whimpered. Bella stayed put, watching as the dog inched its head closer. Bella smiled, reaching her hand forward and closer to the wet black nose that perked up. Bella allowed the dog to sniff her hand but within seconds he was licking her, causing her to laugh at the feel of it. She brought her hand back, wiping the dog drool off her hand and onto her shirt, but the dog would have none of that. He hopped up onto the bed, attempting to get her attention once again.

Bella reached forward as the dog sat down next to her, and began petting its fur. The dog loved the attention, laying himself down as he rolled onto his back, allowing her access to his belly. Bella laughed as she began rubbing it, noticing that the dog's tags were glinting from the sun that shined in through the window. Bella reached down, reading the tag that spelled _Russell_.

This was Edward's dog.

Bella remembered him telling her that he had a dog named Russell, but the only thing that was still confusing to Bella is that he said that his dog doesn't like new people, but Russell clearly wanted nothing but attention from Bella. She scratched the dogs belly once more before sliding off the bed, noticing that Russell had jumped right behind her, following her as she walked to the window.

She pushed the curtains back and her eyes widened at the sight of Lake Union, right outside Edward's window. She gaped at the view, taking in the feel of the sun that warmed her skin. She hadn't seen the sun in months – and it was so nice to feel it now. She then turned around and crossed her arms over her chest, noticing two doors in the room. She walked to one on the side of the bed, realizing it was the bathroom and helped herself to use it.

After her trip to the bathroom, she walked out and went through the other door, opening it to see the rest of the house. It was small, but Bella didn't mind. In fact, she enjoyed its smallness. There was a couch and a chair, a coffee table in front of the two. There was no TV and Bella saw that there were sheets and a pillow folded at the end of the couch. She looked to the right of her, seeing a small table near a large window that looked out to the lake as well. Then in front of her was the kitchen and a door that most likely led out to the hallway.

Bella turned on her heels, biting on her lip as she noticed yet another bookcase to her right, next to it a small fireplace that stayed unlit. Bella walked to the bookcase and began fingering through the spine. There was a vast amount of collection of books that really didn't surprise Bella in the least. She knew Edward shared her love of reading – but what did surprise her is that he held out on all the good books.

_Pride and Prejudice, Alice in Wonderland, Dracula, Treasure Island, The Scarlet Letter, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Legends of King Arthur and His Knights…_

The books went on and on. Bella smiled, fascinated at his collection. At first glance no one would ever expect Edward as the book type. What with his dark clothing, smoldering looks, no one could probably picture him by the fire reading _Persuasion _by Jane Austen, but Bella could. She wondered if he secretly was a professor, educating people on the goodness that comes out of classic literature. Bella giggled to herself, thinking of Edward wearing a sweater vest and spectacles whilst teaching a class on Lady Macbeth's intentions for her husband in the tragic play.

As Bella began pulling out books she heard the door beginning to unlock. She quickly began putting all the books back – sliding them back in the rightful spot as she then stood up, watching as the door swung open, and Edward walk right in. He hadn't even noticed her – but she had definitely noticed him. He was shirtless, looking as if he had just came back from a morning run, and his body was flawlessly toned, his abdominals were perfectly shaped and glistened with sweat. She knew he was in shape, but you couldn't see much considering he mostly wore dark shirts. She watched as he walked to the kitchen which was only two steps away from the door, and then filling his water bottle that he had walked in with in his hand. Once filled he drank it all down, some spilling from the side of his mouth and dripping to his chest.

And that's when Bella found herself fantasizing about him – what it would be like to touch him when he was like that. And as much as she enjoyed the view, she had to cut herself short – feeling as if the room was becoming _too_ hot. So she just cleared her throat, and Edward had quickly turned his attention to her. He dropped the bottle, not startled at all, as he wiped his mouth.

"Your up." He said and she nodded, taking her bottom lip in between her teeth. His body was _very_ distracting. Her eyesight traveled back up to his face and she was able to rest her eyes on his jaded ones – the most beautiful green eyes she had ever seen. She smiled softly, her arms crossed over her chest as she stepped closer to him. "Did you sleep well?" Edward asked as he set the bottle down next to the sink, perfectly portioned, Bella had noticed, to the soap bottle.

"Very well." Bella nodded, "But you didn't have to sleep on the couch." She said, gesturing to the pillows and sheets that were folded at the end of it. "You could have just put me there. I'm sure anything would have been better than the bed back at the…" Bella gestured off, not really knowing what to call the place she had been in. Edward understood, but shook his head in disagreement.

"It's alright. I think you deserved to sleep somewhere decent for the night." He smiled a pure panty dropping smile and Bella felt her breathing hitch in her throat. She let out a smile, pushing her hair back whilst nodding her heading.

"Thank you." She told him, looking up to see his panty dropping smile dissipate into a very sincere one. She then looked down at Russell who sat by her side, glancing up at her. She reached down, scratching behind his ear as she then looked back up to Edward. "I thought you said he didn't like new people." She smirked.

"He doesn't. But he has seemed to take a liking into you." Edward grinned, nodding to his dog that began licking Bella's hand. "But like I said before, you're very easy to like. So it really doesn't come to a surprise." He told her with a chuckle and Bella didn't respond and instead wiped her hand on her shirt as she looked back to Edward.

"You have a nice home." Bella smiled, "Very cozy."

"Well it isn't much." Edward shrugged.

"It's perfect." Bella said, cutting him off before he could say anything else. "Why didn't you tell me you had so many books?" Bella asked, gesturing back to the bookcase as she then walked to it.

"Well I figured you'd just guess with all the books I brought to you." He said, watching as she pulled a random book out and flipped through the pages.

"Yeah, but I didn't guess you would have shelves and shelves of them." She laughed, putting the book down as she turned back to Edward. "Your collection is…" Bella couldn't find words and just instead let out a soft breath of air until she could make some up. "Amazing."

"I have been working on it for years." He smiled as Bella bit her lip, walking back to the other side of the counter. She began wondering what happened last night after she had fallen asleep, and with the thought her hands cross over her waist as she laced her fingers together.

"Did you…" She began, at loss of words as she tried to find them once again. "Did you get caught?" She finally breathed and Edward shook his head, one hand coming up and brushing his damp hair back.

"We got away with it." He told her, and Bella let out a sigh of relief. "It was a close call though." He told her honestly, and that's when Bella decided to walk closer, the only thing separating them was a counter. Bella set her arms on the cold surface and she looked up at him sympathetically, gazing into his eyes.

"Edward…" She began with a choke. He looked at her with question, wondering what she was going to say – and why it looked like it was making her so emotional. "I don't think I could thank you enough for what you did. It was really…" Bella lost the words, because one couldn't seem to fit. _Brave? Thoughtful? Kind?_ Those words didn't seem to be enough – didn't give him a sufficient amount of justice. "Thank you." She finally said. "I know you didn't have to do this, and I really appreciate that you did despite risking… _Everything_…"

"Isabella," Edward had breathed, reaching forward and grabbing her hands, holding them in his, bringing them forward. "You don't have to thank me." He told her, stealing her breath away. "I'd do it all over if I had to. _Again and again_." He promised, whispered against the skin of her fingers as he pressed soft kisses to them.

Bella felt something catch in her throat, possibly air, her words, _my heart_? She started to move towards his side of the counter, their hands still together. When she had finally reached him, they were standing right in front of each other. Bella breathed in his scent, and she was so close to his body, but that particular fact hadn't registered in her brain, at least not yet. She looked up at him, seeing him gazing overpoweringly down at her. His emerald eyes hooked her in and she brought his hands down, setting them against her hips. He took the sign and wrapped his arms around her.

Both were on a one track mind at this point – and all they could think about was each other. One hand lifted from her waist and touched her cheek, cradling it in his palm. She pressed her lips together, taking in her bottom one as she stared into his eyes. They were so close – so impossibly close, their heads inching closer and she could feel his breath on her lips. But right as they reached their desired spot – a knock on the door.

Edward dropped his hand, glaring up at the door as Bella remained motionless – not really understanding what just happened.

"Edward! I've got your mail!" A male voice yelled beyond the door, pounding on it loudly. Edward pulled away from Bella who turned around and headed deeper into the kitchen, so whoever was there couldn't see her. Edward opened the door just a bit, enough for him to see his neighbor, Riley, holding his mail. "Looks like you got your bills today."

"Will you please stop fucking sniffing through my mail?" Edward growled and Riley just smirked, handing Edward the stack of envelopes.

"Hey, did you hear that the strip club we used to go to burnt down?" Riley asked and Edward glanced up at him – shaking his head. "Fire department is saying it wasn't accidental. How fucked up is that? Who would burn down a perfectly composed strip joint?"

"Angry father?" Edward said, "Jealous boyfriend? Who knows." He shrugged and said his goodbyes to Riley and closed his door. He turned to Isabella who leaned against the sink, her thumb gently caressing her bottom lip as he walked back in, setting his mail down on the counter. "I got you some things." Edward said, leaning to the side of the counter and pulling a bag out, one Bella had not noticed. He set it on the counter, sliding it towards her. Bella lifted from the sink and walked to the bag. "It's just for today, until you go home tonight."

Bella looked up at him, feeling as though she just got punched in the gut. _I'm leaving tonight_? She wanted to say something, because as strange as the feeling was to her – she really didn't know if she wanted to go home, at least not yet. But Bella kept her mouth shut for now, and instead just went through the bag. There was a razor, a bar of soap, a poof and shampoo and conditioner – strawberry scent.

"My sister helped me out. I have no fucking idea what to buy when it comes to girls – clearly." He laughed, his hand going to behind his neck as he swallowed hard. "And when you decide to take a shower, you can just wear a shirt and sweatpants of mine, and I'll take your clothes downstairs to the laundry mat to clean them." He stopped, raking his fingers through his hair as he looked up at her, "I hope this is enough, you know at least until tonight."

"It's more than enough." Bella said softly, looking up at him with a weak smile that Edward had picked up immediately. "When… When am I leaving?" She asked through a whisper that was barely even audible – but Edward heard it.

"I was going to give you cab fare late tonight, and then you can be on your way." He told her, not realizing his mistake. He was talking as if he wanted Bella to go – and after everything they have been though that felt like a stab in the back to her. But she didn't say anything, and instead swallowed her words and just nodded. "If that's okay?" He finally asked, and Bella looked up to him with a shrug. She didn't want to tell him how she was feeling – but it puzzled her. How were they so close to kissing one moment and the next he was telling her he was giving her money tonight to go on her merry way? It hurt her – deep inside, because she felt unwanted. And that was difficult for her to fathom – because all she wanted was him.

"Whatever you want." She had said sadly, and Edward caught onto it immediately. He looked at her confusingly, ready to say something but she just shook her head and grabbed the bag.

"Isabella," Edward called out, but Bella ignored him and walked into his room – where Russell followed her. "Bella, please…" He began walking towards the door, but right when Russell was in, she shut it, and locked it immediately. Edward sighed softly, wondering what he had said that was wrong – clearly she was upset. He set his forehead against the door, knocking on it gently. "Isabella, please open the door."

"I'm fine." Bella called out. She was being childish – she knew it, but she was hurt. And she didn't know how to deal with these kinds of emotions. They were foreign and unheard of for her. So instead she just lay down on the bed, where Russell jumped up and lay next to her. She put her arm around him, scratching his side as she tried to not think about Edward.

If she was leaving tonight then there would be no reason for her to spend time with him. Leaving him would be heavy on her heart as it was – why would she wound it even more?

Xx

Hours or so later, Isabella was still locked up in Edward's room. He tried multiple times to coax her out, but nothing had worked. Finally he had given up and just left, going to find them some dinner. He locked the door and went down the elevator, finally reaching outside as he began walking a few blocks to _Gypsy's Café and Pub. _Once arrived, he ordered there food, retrieved it, and then headed to a local bakery where he bought some brownies.

_Comfort food is what girls like… I think…_

Edward was so hopeless when it came to girls, that he hadn't even realized his mistake in the first place. He headed back to his apartment, tail between his legs and ready to grovel on his knees for her. He didn't want her to be upset with him, not when they may not ever see each other again after tonight. So when he returned up in his home he walked to his bedroom door, taking in a deep breath before knocking gently.

"Isabella, please come out and have dinner with me." Edward pleaded, his fist on the door – as his other hand held the bag of food. "Please?" He asked once more – there was no answer. Edward let out a deep breath of air, disappointed and hurt, but reluctantly turned around and walked to his couch, where he began unpacking his own food.

The setting sun streamed into the sitting area of Edward's home, his back against the couch as he ate his Salmon burger – alone. His stereo played soft music, giving him some form of entertainment but he would sometimes look over his shoulder at his bedroom door. He wondered why she wouldn't come out – had he really upset her that much? Edward never really had a girlfriend before so he never knew how to act with one – and even though Isabella wasn't his girlfriend, she was the closest thing to one and somewhere along the line, he fucked up.

As Edward ate, he heard his door to his bedroom start to squeak, and he turned his attention to see a pale leg step out. Bella's full form came into view and what a view it was. Her hair was wet, flowing down the right side of her neck as she wore a pair of shorts she must have had in her bag considering they were not Edward's, and one of his button up shirts that hung down to her upper thighs, hiding the shorts. She was a breath stealer – and stealing his breath is exactly what she did. Barefoot with wild rosy cheeks, Bella came out all the way – Russell on her heels as she walked to Edward's sitting area.

She sat down on the chair across from him, her eyes carefully avoiding his. And even though there was a sufficient amount of space between them, he could still smell the strawberry scented shampoo and he relished in it. Russell lay by the coffee table between them, his head down as he groaned slightly – as if he were annoyed with both of their behaviors. Edward just gazed at her, and Bella sat motionless and finally had looked to the bag, and then to him.

"Oh." Edward laughed nervously as he realized he was caught staring. He set down his burger and grabbed the bag and pulled out her salad from _Gypsy's Café and Pub_. "I got you a Chicken Caesar Salad. I hope that's alright?" Edward asked, shrugging his shoulders. Bella nodded and smiled as a thank you, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. Edward was still in trouble. "And I also went to this bakery called Simply Desserts and got us some brownies. They are supposed to be the best in the area." He shrugged – he was clearly trying very hard to get her approval and Bella noticed.

"Thank you." She finally said, watching as he pulled out the tin with brownies in them. "That was very sweet of you. You didn't have to go through all of this." She told him, as she reached forward and grabbed the small bowl containing her salad. Edward had handed her a Styrofoam cup as well and Bella smiled as yet another thank you, taking it graciously.

"Isabella," Edward began, and Russell picked up his head – as if he were watching them closely. "I'm sorry if I upset you. I didn't mean to." He told her honestly, edging closer off the couch.

"I'm sorry." Bella told him, "I didn't mean to act out. I think it's the lack of sun." She laughed nervously and Edward just stood still. "And I'm sorry I kind of just took your room."

"Don't worry about it." He grinned forcing Bella to smile. The two then went silent, but as always – it wasn't awkward. Bella grabbed her fork and began mixing her salad and finally took a bite, enjoying the taste of it after months of horrible food. The music that played in the background caught her attention, and Bella listened but realized it was in a different language.

"Who is this?" She asked, gesturing to the stereo.

"_Sigur Rós_." Edward said immediately, "They're an Icelandic band."

Bella was enhanced by the music, ignoring her salad for a moment to take in the soft piano and the beautiful vocals of the man. She couldn't understand him – but with a melody like that, she wondered if he were sad. Edward watched Bella, seeing her stare at the ground as if she were thinking of something. The setting sun brushed against her smooth legs, and he found himself gazing at her. Her hair was still to the side, flowing down and past her chest as her lips were plump but etched with sadness, it was in that moment Edward wanted to kiss her – he had always wanted to kiss her before, but now there was a tugging sensation. He kept it aside though, knowing she was still hurt but the feeling had stayed with him, lingering in his mind and in his heart.

"What are you thinking?" Edward finally asked, watching as Bella looked up to him, her lips turning into a smile as she laughed softly, realizing she had dazed off.

"Sorry, this song… It's just so… Heartbreaking." She gulped on the word and Edward nodded. "What's it called?"

"Track One." Edward replied softly, "This actually isn't Icelandic. It's Hopelandic." He told her.

"Hopelandic?" Bella questioned, "I've never heard of it."

"Because technically, it's not a language. The singer really just makes up words to compliment the other instruments. It's strange, but it works." Edward shrugged, "I guess you can make your own story to the song." He told her and Bella gazed at him, taking in a breath of air. They watched each other for a few seconds – and both felt a warm electricity current that neither could deny. Bella was the one who broke the stare and Edward frowned, wishing that he could make this better.

"He has really seemed to take a liking to you." Edward gestured to Russell who lay next to the coffee table. "It's amazing. You truly know how to make an impression." He smirked and Bella smiled down at Russell who slept peacefully on the floor. He awaite for Bella to say something but she was silent, it was that very fact alone that made him uneasy. He wanted to make this right.

"Isabella, please…" Edward began softly, noticing Bella turning to look at him. "Please tell me what I did wrong, so I can fix it." He pleaded. Bella set her salad down in front of her, bringing her arms back up as she wrapped them around her waist, staring at him from under her lashes.

"There's no point in fixing it." She told him honestly as she picked at strands of fabric coming from the chair.

"Don't say that." Edward told her, "I don't want you to leave on such a horrible note." Bella glared up at him, and Edward froze at it. _What did I just say_? He was so confused and mixed with her different signals that he didn't know which was up or down anymore.

"Why are you so persistent on making me leave?" Bella hissed. "Do you really want me gone that badly? Because if so, just tell me. I'll get my things and walk myself home." She then turned, her fingers going under her chin as she tried to hide her tears.

"Hey," Edward spoke softly, standing up carefully from the couch as he made his way to her. Bella sat frozen, seeing him get closer. She reached up quickly, swiping away a lonesome tear that began to leak from the corner of her eye. Edward had kneeled down in front of her, careful to where he put his hands and instead kept them on the arm of the chair. "Is that why you're so upset? Because you think I'm trying to get rid of you?"

Bella turned to look at him, and she knew there was no point in lying to him when he was spot on. And ever so slightly she nodded her head, looking down to her hands that were now rested on her lap.

"I'm sorry." Edward whispered sympathetically, "You going home… I thought that's what you wanted." He said softly, and Bella didn't respond, and instead just looked at him, gazing at his face sadly.

"I do." She finally choked through soft whispers. "But… Not yet."

Edward didn't know what happened but it felt like his insides flipped.

_She wants to stay here. With me. _

All that talk about the moment she was gone, she'd be gone for good was out the window. Bella was upset that Edward was trying to give her what he thought she wanted – but in reality all she wanted was to be with him. Edward let out a soft chuckle, a smile splitting across his lips. Bella had turned before she could see his smile, and he watched as she looked at Russell impassively who lay on the floor in his own world.

"I don't want you to go either." He had finally whispered, catching her attention. Bella turned back to him, her eyes slightly wide and her mouth almost gaped. "I just thought… I thought you wanted to go home. I'm sorry if I made you think that I wanted you gone. Because that's not true. It's far from true." One hand had made its way from the arm of the chair and to her leg where his fingers gently brushed against the softness of the skin of her calf. Both of them had felt the electricity there was no denying it.

"I want to stay here with you Edward." Bella said, watching as he gazed up from her leg and then to her eyes. "If you want me to." She realized she was being a burden and didn't want to continue unless he wanted her there.

Edward only smiled, leaning forward as he pressed a kiss to her chin. He left his lips there, kissing up to her cheek and feeling her smile, "Nothing would make me happier." He whispered against her skin. Bella laughed softly at his stubble tickling her chin and slowly her arms reached forward, wrapping around his neck.

Edward had pulled away from her cheek, his lips dangerously close to her own. Bella didn't mind and in fact she welcomed him – inviting him to get closer. Edward did so, his forehead first touching hers as his arms wound around her waist. Bella smiled happily, one hand dropping from his neck to softly caress his cheek. With that loving gesture Edward dipped his head forward and for the first time their lips had touched.

The kiss, at first, was simple but there was so much meaning behind it. Both had awaited this moment for a long time and they poured all of their adoration into it. Bella let out a soft moan at the feel of Edward's lips parting, forcing hers apart too, and allowing his tongue to enter her mouth. The feel of her tongue against his sent both of them into a spiral of emotions and suddenly Bella felt her legs open from underneath her, moving to the edge to squeeze his sides.

This kiss continued though, and both couldn't help but pour every ounce of emotion into the kiss. Edward felt as though his whole body was on fire – and it was all because of her. Bella had finally felt wanted, and that set her in motion and slowly her hands dipped down to where she found his shirt, scrunching it in her hands to pull it up.

That's when Edward pulled away, realizing what she was doing. He didn't want to rush this if she weren't ready and he was afraid if the heat of the kiss had just sent her into some kind of sexual frenzy, and maybe she truly didn't want this. Bella looked up at Edward with such an emotion that made him realize that she did want this to continue to something more. He smiled down at her and hooked his arms around her thighs causing her to squeal as he lifted her in his arms.

Edward kissed Bella as he held her, making his way into his room and when Russell realized that they were moving, he stood up and followed, but the door closed on him and the poor dog whimpered softly, pawing at the door just before giving up and heading back to sleep near the couch.

In the bedroom Edward had dropped Bella on the bed, but he wasn't far behind as he hovered his body over hers, kissing her neck softly and causing her to let out fits of giggles. Edward smirked against her skin, feeling her small, warm hands travel underneath his shirt and slip it off. Once off, Bella grabbed his chin, forcing him to look at her as she began kissing him.

Edward pulled away from her lips as his fingers began playing with the buttons on his shirt that she was wearing. He slowly undid every single one and his hand had come in contact with her skin. He soon realized that she was not wearing a bra. Bella tilted up, shrugging off the shirt and leaving her upper body bare. She then laid back down, her dark, nearly dry, curls splayed across the white pillow, and Edward looked down at her with such intensity that it brought color to Bella's cheeks.

"You are a Goddess." He whispered, leaning down and pressing his lips against hers as his hands traveled from her stomach, brushing across her navel and finally finding both bare breasts in his palms. Bella let out a hefty breath from his touch against his lips, her hand reach to place behind his neck as she arched her back – giving him more room. Edward took notice to both her beautiful breasts he was holding in his hands, brushing his thumb across the center and over her nipples and causing his Isabella to jump excitedly.

Eventually his lips escaped hers and he trailed them down to her chin, all the way past the base of her throat, and to her chest where he cupped her right breast in one hand, giving it even more attention – and this time with his mouth. Bella moaned at the feel of his tongue lapsing around her skin, leaving soft but prominent Goosebumps. Once Edward was done with her right breast, he moved right along to her left and after he realized both had been properly introduced to him, he smiled wickedly, bringing himself back up to her as he kissed her mouth.

Edward then dragged his tongue against her bottom lip, causing her to giggle and forcing him to smirk. He kissed her multiple times before going back down, his lips connecting with the skin of her neck, dragging them down and past the space between her breasts and to her stomach. He began pressing soft kisses on the flat surface, occasionally gazing up at her and watched her stare down at him with fascination.

And as he removed her shorts, leaving her completely bare beneath him he pleasured her once again – but this time in the southern part of her body. Bella moaned and writhed as his tongue played with her tightening bud and his fingers curling into her gently but hard enough to drive her nuts. And it was only a matter of seconds until she could feel herself on the edge – ready to fall. But Bella did not want her first time to let go while doing this. And though she enjoyed it – she'd rather fall of the edge with him.

"Edward…" Bella said, catching his attention. He glanced up at her and she reached down and grabbed his arms – bringing him up to her.

"Was that not satisfying?" Edward asked, slightly disappointed.

"Edward, it was more than satisfying." She told him honestly. She smiled into his eyes, biting onto her bottom lip as she brushed his hair away from his face. "But I want to come with _you_." Her voice was slurred and dipped with passion. Edward felt himself hardening by the second. And after that, it didn't take long for Edward to become bare with his Isabella.

The two were both naked with each other, and the only thing that was separating them was the space between them. At some point between him getting undressed, Edward had put on a condom and when he was ready Edward gazed down at Isabella, almost if he were warning her for what was to come. But Bella only smiled, bringing her hand up and stroking his cheek, willing him to continue.

And with one swift movement the kidnapper and the kidnapped had become lovers.

Bella moaned softly at the feel of him filling her, and Edward let out a staggered breath relishing in the feel. The two lovers began moving together, connected as one, in sync like the lapsing waves of a shore. The little lining of the setting sun stroked in the window, warming Edward's back as he pushed in and out of his lovely Isabella who moaned and withered beneath him.

"Edward," Bella breathed, her hands running along his warm back to bring him closer if it were possible. Edward kissed Bella's neck, his hand reaching down to touch the outside of her thigh, bringing it up and pressing it harder against his hip so he had more room. Every stroke and propel was backed up with an emotion neither of them could put their finger on quite yet – but backed it up it did, helping the two lovers feel and breathe together. It was as if their souls had joined, connecting them for eternity.

Edward had never felt this way with someone. The other girls he had slept with were meaningless. Just items he used to pass the time, but Isabella was different. And as he lay here, making sweet love to her, he had finally realized that. She was different, and she would always be different.

Bella lifted her arms to the side of her, gripping the white sheets and clutching them in her fists as his chest pressed flush against hers, his strokes becoming faster. Bella arched her back, her arms letting go of the sheets and touching his back as she moaned loudly. Her nails scratched his back gently, leaving red marks that etched his now glistening skin. Bella had then pushed on Edward's chest, moving him so that he was beneath her and she straddled his lap.

Not once did they break connection of their bodies.

As the music outside of the door moved in tempo, Bella pushed herself with the support of Edward's shoulders, her body rubbing against his as the two moaned in satisfaction. Edward grabbed her hips with on hand and with his other, bunched her curls in his palm, putting his head in the crook of her neck as he took in her scent.

"You're beautiful." He managed to say through moans and groans as Bella whimpered above him, moving at a faster pace that caused him to squeeze his eyes close. "You feel so good, Isabella." He whispered to her, causing her to bite at her lip as she gripped his chin – kissing him deeply and passionately. "You undo me completely." It was the last thing he said before Bella tilted her head back, letting out a loud moan as Edward's hands splayed flat across her back.

Edward moved so he was over her again, the two now diagonal in the bed. His thrusts became more powerful, overwhelming her with such pleasure that she knew she would not last much longer. Bella moaned underneath Edward, reaching up and running her fingers through his hair. It shifted his weight onto his forearms that lay on each side of her, and with a few more strokes the two unraveled together.

Bella let out a loud moan, causing Edward to do so along with her as their worlds burst into colors. The lights had brightened and twinkled and they felt like they were flying in the night sky with nothing but each other attached. Bella and Edward soon drifted from the sky and landed on the bed where they had been all along. He laid himself on top of her body, careful to not put any pressure she couldn't handle on her as his lips kissed her neck.

And against her sweaty skin he could feel her heart beating rapidly. He knew it was from their previous engagements, but when it wouldn't slow he became a little concerned.

"Your heart." Edward said softly against her skin, "It's beating so fast." He told her as if she didn't know – but Bella was well aware. She smiled down at the man who had just given her the best pleasurable experience of her life and with that she stroked her fingers through his hair, kissing the top of his head as she nodded.

"For you." She replied softly.

Xx

The two new lovers lay facing each other, nothing but the white sheets wrapping over their naked bodies. They gazed at each other, mesmerizing each insignificant detail on the others face. Edward had noticed that Bella had a small freckle, right above her upper lip on the right side, and Bella had detected a scar on the side of Edward's left cheek. But these imperfections would not go unnoticed and the two had reached over from time to time to kiss them, letting them know that these imperfections were perfections to each other.

"I never imagined being here," Bella said softly, breaking the silence. "In your bed. With you." She smiled, reaching out to brush a strand of auburn hair that had stuck itself out.

"We have definitely been through a lot." Edward told her, his fingers gently dipping down to her throat where it then fell to the bed. He stared down at the sheets, taking in a staggered breath as he looked back to her, "Isabella, would you be offended if I said that I don't regret kidnapping you?" He asked her, ready for her to slap him or something – but she only smiled. "I regret what you went through, but I would have never met you if it didn't happen." He whispered, leaning forward to press a kiss to her forehead.

"I don't regret it either." She smiled, snatching his hand so that she held it close to her chest. Edward reflected her smile and the two became impossibly closer. Bella looked down at his hands, her fingers gently skimming across the mounts of his fingers. "How long can I stay here?" She asked softly, bringing his hand up and kissing his knuckles.

"However long you want to." He told her and Bella smirked, rolling her eyes.

"Don't make promises you don't intend on keeping." Bella told him, but Edward didn't smile. She was obviously kidding, but Edward didn't want her to think he was kidding, because truthfully he wasn't. She could stay here forever for all he cared. As along as he was able to hold her at nights, he would be happy.

"Isabella, you are welcomed here for however long you want. I swear to you." He told her, watching as she gazed from his hands up to his eyes. "I want you to feel safe here. I want you to feel wanted. Because that's what you are. And if you feel like you want to be here forever, then I will let you."

Bella smiled, leaning forward as their forehead barely touched. "You know how to steal a girl's breath away."

"Surely _you_ know how to steal a man's breath away. When you came out of my room in only my shirt..." Edward stifled a groan and shook his head. "You had unmanned me in seconds my sweet, _sweet_ Isabella. You were very distracting."

"I was?" She asked, but she had a need to toot her own horn in her thoughts.

"You must know how beautiful you are." He told her, but Bella only shook her head, the color in her cheeks becoming more prominent. "No?" He asked, and Bella shook her head once again, smirking as Edward brought himself closer to her, his lips at her cheek as he put his hands to her side. "My dear, you are the definition of beautiful. I've never, and I mean never, have seen someone so stunning in my life. And it's not just your appearance. It's your overall aura. You can make people happy. You can make people see the good out of bad situations. Your smart and you know how to hold a good argument on who was the best poet in the nineteenth century." He smirked, causing Bella to laugh softly against the skin of his shoulder. "Which I still believe is Walt Whitman."

"Robert Frost." Bella responded quickly, raising a brow because she knew he was going to go _there_. Edward just chuckled, bringing his arms to wrap around her, their stomachs now touching and nothing but a thin layer of sheets between them.

"You see? You know what you believe, and you like to educate people on it. You are so beautiful, Isabella. So very beautiful. And you always will be." He told her with a smile, and Bella couldn't help but blush.

"You know how to talk your way into a woman's heart." She said to him, her hands slipping up and behind his shoulder as she licked her lips. "That could come in handy one day."

"I think it already has." Edward winked at her.

"You know, your not too bad yourself." She told him, watching as he smirked, her fingers moving to trace the skin beneath his eyes. "One moment you could be cussing up a storm, flipping people off, and the other moment quoting scripture."

"That's slightly difficult for me, considering I've only been to Church once or twice before in my life." He grinned and Bella rolled her eyes, her fingers now running along his bottom lip.

"You know what I mean." She told him and he nodded. She gazed up into his eyes, leaning her head forward as she began to whisper, "You are just as beautiful as I am."

"Not possible." He told her.

"Stop putting me on a pedestal," She smirked, "I'm going to knock myself down and you're going to be very disappointed."

"I won't let you fall." He whispered, leaning in to press a soft innocent peck to her lips. Bella smiled against his lip, her fingers running down to grab his and lacing them together.

"You are beautiful. Take it as a compliment." She smirked, feeling something cold against her finger. She looked down to his hand to see the gold ring with the M designed onto it. Bella reached down to play with it and Edward watched in amusement.

"What does the _M_ stand for?" Bella asked.

"It's a last name. Stands for Masen." He told her.

"Is that your last name?" She asked, and Edward looked into her eyes as she continued to play with his ring. He really didn't want to go into the details on how it use to be his last name and now his new one was Cullen. He wanted to bring her into that life, but just not yet. So instead of denying it and starting the conversation up on what his new last name was, Edward only nodded. He would bring it up another day. A day where the two could sit and talk about it – not when they were happily blissful and sated. "And to think, I just had sex with a man and didn't even know his last name until afterwards." She giggled and Edward smiled, though he didn't like the way she labeled their actions.

"You mean you made love to a man." He told her correctly and she smiled, reaching out and brushing his hair away from his eyes.

"Yes." She told him, leaning forward to press a kiss underneath his eye.

"And did you enjoy making love to this man? And how he made love to you?" Edward asked curiously, raising a brow. Bella smirked and nodded her head as she brushed her arm down his bare shoulder.

"Very much." She told him. "It was like nothing I had ever experienced before."

"And you would allow him to do it again?" Edward asked, leaning forward as he began pressing kisses to her bare neck. Bella grinned wildly.

"Any time he wants to." She giggled, feeling his tongue peak out and touch her still salty skin.

"Oh, Isabella. Don't make promises you don't intend on keeping." He scolded gently with a smirk, using her earlier words. Bella giggled quietly and with that Edward's hands removed the sheets that were separating their naked bodies from each other.

* * *

**Author's Note; I am pumping out chapters like no ones business!**

**Okay, I really wanted to get this one out because I have been excited to write it ever since I started this story. Yeah people, their first time has been planned in this exact moment for months. I don't make this shit up on spot, you know.**

**I really hope you guys enjoyed that just as much as Edward and Bella did. *wink wink***

**I am working on TOSOY! I promise! You will be getting an update ASAP! I'm only in the beginning of the chapter, but I've kind of made a deal with myself that I can't write any new chapters for AMWYL until I finished the new chapter of TOSOY. Not that I favor AMWYL more, because it's nothing like that, but just so much shit is happening in this story that I'm so excited to write it.**

**Why am I explaining this? Haha.**

**Thanks to my beta, Lauren!  
****And to you guys for reading!**

**Okay, did you guys like it?  
****Yes? No?**

**Tell me!  
****Please?  
*****puppy dog face***

**Review!**

**xoxo  
****shelby**

**p.s. follow me on twitter www(dot)twitter(dot)com/xbitterangelx**


	16. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

The morning sun began rising from the horizon – lighting Seattle with a warm graze that covered the city. The water of Lake Union glistened and sparkled and as the sun reached the apartment complex, its rays slit through Edward's windows as if awakening the two lovers peacefully. Bella was already warm as it was with Edward, whose naked body held her in his arms from behind, spooning her body with his own as his hand rested on her breast protectively, his mouth pressed against the back of her head. Bella was the first to awake, feeling the dose of sun slipping her sleepiness away. She registered what was happening, feeling the sheets rustle softly as she stretched her legs that were tangled with her lovers.

The white sheet was up to her waist, her upper body exposed besides her left breast that was held in Edward's grasp. Bella smiled, lifting her arm that was tucked under his as her nails gently began raking against the skin of his hand. She looked towards the window, seeing the soft water of the lake swish from the wind and gleam from the sun as if telling her good morning. Underneath the window was Russell's bed, where the dog slept peacefully in his own dreams. She remembered hearing him in the middle of the night, crying outside the door due to loneliness. This was after Edward and Bella had made love, by her count, at least four times and both were ready to fall asleep. Bella had stepped out of the bed after Edward had fallen asleep to let the poor dog in.

After she had crawled back into bed, they resumed in the positions they were currently in right now and fell asleep in each others arms.

Bella continually raked her fingernails gently across Edward's arm. He stirred for a moment but only fell back into sleep. Bella began turning and Edward lifted his arm from her breast for her to do so, they were now facing each other. Bella was wide awake, while Edward still slept soundlessly. She smiled at him, looking over his peaceful features as he went through his dreams. He looked much younger to her. She reached forward, her fingers gently caressing his cheek as the sun outside had made its way to Edward, warming him up considerably. Bella ran her fingers through his hair, twirling locks that wound around her finger.

And with the warmth of the sun and the feeling of Bella's fingers, Edward began to wake. His eyes opened and met with soft brown ones that he had become accustomed to, but never grew tired of. Bella's fingertips fell from his hair, skimming down his neck and to his bare shoulder, and all the way down to his ribcage. Edward reveled in her touch, her fingertips leaving a trace of wildfire in their wake that _simultaneously_ calmed and aroused him. Bella felt his evident excitement against her leg and she glanced up to him, her hand dipping down and underneath the covers as her fingers gently raked over his length. Edward tensed at the sudden feel of it, but then relaxed as she gripped him whole in her palm.

He leaned forward, cupping the side of her neck with his hand as he pressed a soft morning kiss to her lips. Bella's hand moved from him and both arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer as both their chests pressed flush against each other. Edward moaned softly against her lips, his arms wrapping safely around her waist as he pushed himself off the bed and hovered himself over her. The two of them kissed passionately, lips moving against each other, tongues swiftly moving as if they were dancing, and hips pressing hard as if they were glued together. Edward reached over to his bed side table without looking, taking a condom out, effortlessly tore it and slid it on himself without breaking the kiss. Bella would have been impressed if she weren't hazed by the want of him.

Edward gripped her waist with one hand, bringing her up slightly and pushing her legs apart and entered her swiftly. Bella broke the kiss in order to let out a loud moan, her hands going underneath his arms around his sides as she gently clawed his back, his muscles flexed underneath her nails, she felt him grow deeper inside of her. The feeling was unbelievable to both participants. Bella loved the feeling of him moving in and out, always causing a wave of bliss to shift over her and Edward loved the feeling of her walls tightening around him, sending him into a spiral of pleasure.

The two moved together fluently, always in sync and in tune with on another. If a shock went through one body, it passed and went through the other. Edward dropped his head into Bella's neck, breathing heavily as he continually pushed in and out of her with a speed and tempo so intense that neither were going to last for much longer. The two had never said words to each other and only appreciated and thanked the other with moans of gratitude, when the big climax came, like now, the only words they did say were each other's names as if they were signing and sending their orgasms to one another.

Bella's hands were at Edward's hips and when they both let go, she threw her head back and into the pillows, exposing her neck which Edward gratefully began worshipping with his lips, moaning against her skin as they both let go together. The two were salted with sweat; hearts beating like a hummingbird's wings and muscles relaxed. Edward gently lowered his body onto hers, the two of them still conjoined as his forehead softly pressed against hers. He gazed down at her, her eyes closed as she tried to control her breathing.

Edward leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to her lips to aware her that he was still here (as if she could forget) and she was absolutely beautiful. Bella opened her eyes to look up at her lover, her hands rising as she splayed her fingers against his cheek and a smile lifting on her lips. Edward reflected it before leaning down to kiss her once again just before gently caressing her breast with his palm.

"Good morning." He whispered against her.

"It certainly is." She replied with a soft grin forcing him to crack one as well. One hand left her breast to reach up and tuck behind her ear as he pressed tender kisses against her lips. Bella moaned her approval against him as her arms reached up and rested around his neck.

"You know to wake a man up," Edward smirked and Bella shrugged, leaning forward to press a peck to his lips. "Could this become a ritual? Because I quite enjoyed that." He chuckled, feeling Bella grin against his jawbone.

"If you can please me the way you just did, then I could wake you up like this every morning." She smirked and Edward laughed against her skin, pushing her body closer to his if it were at all possible.

"Mm," Edward moaned softly against the skin of her neck, kissing down to her upper chest as he began to worship the mounds of her breast. "You want to take a shower?" Edward asked, his fingers running around the bundle of her breast that were still damp with sweat. Bella nodded her agreement and Edward had easily lifted her from the bed, causing an audible gasp from Bella's lips as he carried her into the bathroom.

He set her down on the counter and Bella let out a hiss of disapproval from the coldness of it, shooting him a glare as he smirked back at her. Edward turned and opened the shower curtain, turning on the nozzle and determining the temperature that was content enough for them to shower in. And all the while, Bella sat on the counter behind Edward, gazing at him and his backside. And what a lovely back side it was. His muscles in his back gracefully stood out, moving as his arms reached down to grab the plug at the bottom of the bath, the roundness of his ass was perfect, and then his long and lean legs were grazed with a soft hint of tan coloring.

_And this was all mine._

She bit down onto her bottom lip, still staring as he turned, her view now gifted with the front of him – and what a gift it truly was. Edward walked back to her, raising a brow as he hooked his arms under her thighs and lifted her.

"Enjoying the view?" He asked with a hint of desire rushing through his voice. Bella wrapped her arms around his neck and nodded her head, not even embarrassed to admit that she was, in fact, staring at all of his perfections.

"Mhm." She replied shortly with a smirk, feeling Edward move as step into the shower. He put her down gently, kissing her forehead just as he reached for the small, green shower pouf he bought for her.

"I'd like to wash you." He told her and Bella didn't say a word and instead turned, exposing her back and moving her hair to the side, allowing him full view of her back. Edward leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to the back of her neck just before situating her near the water that flowed out of the cap. He reached for the Vanilla body wash he bought for her, squirting it on the pouf and rubbing it together, adding water to create suds. His left hand touched her left shoulder, setting the pouf to the center of her back and began rubbing along her skin, leaving bubbles in their paths.

Bella closed her eyes, the warm water beating down her chest as her lover stood behind her and washed her with soft caresses. She sucked in her bottom lip, feeling Edward round the pouf down to her bottom, washing both cheeks with care before leaning down and taking care of her legs. She had never been taken care of like this before and the feeling of it was lovely but scary. Lovely because it was something new and it had to do with Edward, who she would always love anything that had to do with him, scary; because she knew she was becoming much attached to him. She knew one day she had to go home, she only hoped that Edward would be willing enough to continue this relationship even if she did live in Phoenix.

A kiss to the center of Bella's back distracted her worried thoughts and she felt his lips begin to slide up her spine, the pouf on the other side of her body – crawling up the front of her leg but stopping just short of her upper thigh. Edward was now directly behind her, his arousal hard against her bottom as the pouf gently began up higher, passing the desired spot and leaving Bella breathless – wanting for more.

_How can he make me feel ready for another round after we just made love nearly ten minutes ago?_

Bella ignored her thoughts and suppressed a moan as Edward began rubbing the green pouf against her breasts, soaping them up as the water drenched it away. Edward leaned his head at her neck, kissing up and down the side of it as the pouf continually worked at her breasts, leaving her wanting for more when he dipped them down to her stomach. Bella giggled at the feel of it, causing Edward to smile against her skin before planting kisses there. He then began traveling down to the only spot he had missed, but before he could even touch her there, Bella grabbed his wrist.

"Okay, I think I'm clean enough." Bella smirked; turning around to face Edward who looked at her with an innocent _I didn't do it_ look. "It's your turn."

"Please, do your worst." Edward smiled and reached for his blue cloth that hung over the metal bar, handing it to her as well as his body wash. Bella pointed her finger up slightly, moving it in a circular motion that read _turn around_. Edward did as he was told, listening as she squirted the body wash onto the cloth and rubbed it together just before starting with his back.

Bella watched his muscles ripple through the water, the soap causing them to glisten. She leaned forward just like he had done to her and pressed a kiss to his shoulder blade. She ran the cloth down to his very round ass, smirking as she did so and down to his legs. She took the same amount of time he did for her, kissing her way back up along his spine. She turned him around, seeing him smiling as she began working on his abdominals. They truly were a piece of work – hard and lean but not too overpowering. They were perfect. She washed through his chest hair and then down his arms just before leaning in and pressing a kiss to his peck – right above his heart. Edward lost his breath and Bella glanced up at him just before pulling away.

The cloth was dropped and the two could no longer resist each other, finding themselves making love against the wall of the shower.

Xx

Later that day, Bella was curled up on Edward's chair – the fire sparking and crackling gently from the hearth as _Pride and Prejudice _rested in her lap. She flipped through the familiar pages, her head tilting back as she looked at the fire – smiling gently as she took in her surroundings. She had never been this happy before. She felt guilt for continually worrying her mother and father but she just couldn't seem to part with Edward. She had a plan to send them a letter, telling them that she was alright – but she didn't know if Edward would agree to it.

Currently, Edward was out with Russell, taking a small jog before he headed to the Volturi's new occupation. He despised the thought of leaving Bella but he had to keep up the façade that he had no idea where she went off too. He would only be gone for a few hours; surely she couldn't get herself in much trouble.

He also knew that he had to talk to her about staying inside his apartment at all times. Her face was damn well on everything and she wouldn't be hard to miss if she took a step out of the building. He knew she wouldn't like the idea of being cooped up in his home, but if she wanted to stay with him then she would have to do it. After jogging a few more miles and allowing Russell to the bathroom, the two headed back reaching home a half an hour or so later. Edward walked in on Bella curled on his chair and he couldn't help but smile. He took Russell off his leash, allowing him to his food just before walking behind the chair and leaning down to press a kiss to the top of her head.

"What are you reading?" He asked curiously, watching as Bella closed her book to show him the cover. Edward smirked, leaning down near the edge of the chair as his hand rested against her thigh that was exposed due to her only wearing a shirt and boxers owned both by Edward. "_A lady's imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love,_" Edward began softly, pressing a kiss to her knee.

"_From love to matrimony, in a moment._" Bella finished the quote, smiling as she leaned forward and placed a kiss on Edward's grinning lips. "Did you have a nice jog?" She asked, setting her book down beside her as her fingers kneaded through his hair.

"Uneventful to say the least. I left the show at home." He smirked, watching her smile as her fingernails raked across his scalp. "I have to take a shower." Edward told her, raising a brow as if in an invitation for her to join him.

"The last time we were in the shower together my skin began to look like a raisin." She giggled and Edward smirked, leaning forward to press a kiss to her chin.

"I didn't hear your complaining." He chuckled against her skin and Bella felt it vibrate her whole body. She shivered slightly, closing her eyes as her lips pressed against his forehead. "I suppose your right. But you will be making up for it later. _In bed_." His tone had suddenly grown serious and Bella couldn't contain her excitement. She nodded in approval, kissing his lips just before watching him get up and take his shower.

While Edward was showering, Bella stayed out in the sitting area, throwing a green tennis ball up and down in front of Russell who eyed it like a piece of meat. Bella giggled, pretending to throw the ball towards the kitchen but Russell was not stupid. He knew what she was doing, and with that he lowered his ears as if scolding her for attempting to tease him. Finally Bella let the ball go and watched as Russell ran after it, grabbing it just before it hit the table and trotting back like a horse to give it to her.

The sight reminded her a bit like Adara, how she would trot after she had done something rotten, like sneak off to the corner where Renee had her flower garden planted to take a few bites.

Bella set her open palm against her cheek, pressing her face into it as she sighed. Russell came back, dropping the ball on her lap as he whimpered slightly. Bella threw it one last time before standing up and heading into the bedroom. She lay down on her side, nearest to the window and opened her book back up. Russell jumped up onto the end of the bed and lay by her feet as the only thing that was audible was the shower in the bathroom. After a few minutes the shower had turned off and Russell jumped off the bed immediately, knowing that he was not allowed on the bed whatsoever.

The door opened and Bella turned from her book and to the man draped in just a towel that hung low on his hips, water dripping from every inch of his body and wet hair. She bit at her lip, smirking when she noticed him grinning at her.

"Don't smirk at me like that, Miss. Swan. Or I won't make it to work." He raised a brow as he walked to his dresser, his back now towards her as he began rummaging for clothes. Bella set down her book, laying herself across the bed as her fingertips began circling around the comforter that sat perfectly underneath her.

"I wouldn't dream of it, Mr. Masen." Bella purred and the color drained from Edward's face. Luckily, she could not see so he was able to compose himself once again. He shut the dresser drawer, black pants and a dark blue button down shirt covered over his arm.

"How long are you going to be gone?" She asked, watching as he walked closer to her. She brought herself up, swinging her bare legs to the side as her forearms supported her.

"Not very long. A few hours." Edward shrugged, laying down his clothes on the bed. "Look, Isabella, I think you and I need to go over some… Rules."

"Rules?" She laughed, "I'm sorry, I thought I left my father at home."

"I guess they really aren't rules – more orders. Or suggestions. Suggestion-ly orders." He smirked and but his Bella wasn't amused. She was used to being set with orders – she'd be damn if he was going to make her do things here as well.

"Just one?" She asked.

"One." He nodded, letting out a soft sigh, reaching down and grabbing her hands in his own. "You can't leave my home."

"That's a bit excessive." Bella chimed.

"Just hear me out, okay? Unless you decide to go home, leaving this apartment cannot be an option. I know that it seems very irrational but Isabella, I don't think you realize how many people are looking for you. You're everywhere. Newspapers, magazines, TV, radio. Everyone knows what you look like." Edward paused, dropping one hand to cradle the other in both of his hands. "If you even step foot out of this complex, someone will undoubtedly see you. And then you'll be taken away."

"I don't want to be taken away." She murmured, almost to herself.

"I know you don't. This is why you have to do this. I'm sure it'll get annoying at times. Fuck, I'm sure when you decide to leave it'll because your sick and tired of being with me twenty for seven." Edward chuckled softly, but the crease in his brow told Bella that he wasn't joking.

"Edward…" She began softly, but he lifted her hand and kissed her fingertips, distracting her momentarily.

"I'm not a very easy roommate." He told her. "But I know what's best for you. This is what's going to happen if you decide to stay longer."

Bella didn't even have to think about her answer. As much as it pained her to not go outside and enjoy the fresh air – she realized that this was for her own protection plus Edward's. If someone saw her with him, not only would she be taken, but Edward would be held accountable for her kidnapping. Though he was involved with it, she didn't consider it him as her kidnapper – not anymore. She had to do this. For her. For him. _For us_.

"I won't go out anywhere." She told him honestly, Edward let out a soft breath of air, smiling as he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "On one condition."

"That doesn't sound good." Edward winced, pulling away to hear her condition.

"You have to let me send a letter to my parents." She began, and Edward started to interrupt her but she shook her head and reached forward – pressing her fingers against his lips. "Please. They are probably worried sick for me. I don't want them to suffer."

"Bella…" Edward began, unsure of what to do as he shrugged. "There are paper trails in letters and… It can lead them here."

"Not if you put them in the drop boxes downtown." Bella said, lifting herself up from the bed as her hands reached out to touch his bare, damp, sides. "I need to let them know that I'm okay. I owe it to them."

Edward took in a deep breath and looked away – not wanting to cave just because of her sad expression. He didn't want to tell her that there is a very good chance that her father will think that the letter is forced and will still continue on his search – but this is something she really wanted. It would ease her conscience greatly. So instead of telling her all the reasons why she couldn't do it, he just smiled back at her, leaning forward as his arms enveloped her shoulders.

"Whatever makes you happy is fine with me." He whispered against her lips, feeling her smile against him.

"Don't you worry. I will take very good care of you during my visit." She smirked, running her fingers up and through his hair.

"Oh, I'm sure you will." Edward grinned, his towel completely gone as the two fell down onto the bed.

Later, Edward kissed his naked Isabella and promised her that he would return later before dinner. He stood up, got himself dressed and left his lover tangled up in his sheets. Edward got out his phone to find the text message from Aro with the directions to the new place and headed out to his car.

A few hours later in the apartment – Bella had gotten herself out of bed and allowed herself to shower properly without the distraction of Edward. After showering she covered herself in one of Edward's white wife beaters and black sweat pants. Both were too large on her, but she enjoyed the comfort of his clothing on her body. She ran a brush through her hair just before pulling it up into a messy bun with a rubber band she found in a drawer.

After finishing in the bathroom, she walked out and sat at the end of the now made up bed and read. Russell jumped up to the end of the bed, laying at her feet as Bella flipped the pages through her book. After awhile of sitting in the same place, her legs began to fall asleep. She marked her book, setting it to the side and standing up as she headed towards the door – Russell right on her heels as she made her way to the kitchen. She opened the freezer, pulling out the Bertolli Chicken Parmigiana and Penne. Bella rummaged through the cabinets in the kitchen until finally finding the pots and pans. She pulled a pan out and turned on the stove, leaning against the counter as she read the directions on the back.

She set the stove on exactly two hundred and thirty degrees as she dumped the sauce in one pan, and boiled the noodles in the other. As their dinner cooked, Bella walked to the small desk that sat in the corner near the window. She rummaged through some of his things, finally finding a pen and a piece of paper. She pulled out the chair and sat herself down, staring down at the blank sheet of paper.

She had no idea what to write. Odds are they would still worry about her even when they received the note. Bella brought the end of her pen to her mouth, chewing on it nervously. She didn't really know where to begin, but she knew she had to do it. So with that, she began writing whatever came to her mind.

_Mom & Dad, _

_I really don't know how to properly start this letter off. I guess there is just so much to say, that I have no idea where I can even begin__ and I only have a short amount of space to write it. I guess I should first off start by telling you that I'm okay. I know that may be hard to believe, but really – I am. I know you are probably scared about me and a few days ago that __sentiment would have been necessary, but not anymore. _

_I can't tell you exactly where I am, but I can tell you that I am not in any harm. Not anymore. I know that may be hard to believe, but I really want you to try and not worry anymore. I'm okay. Really. I'm actually – happy._

_I know that may seem tough to understand given the situation, but I'm away from the danger now. So if these people continue to say that they have me captive, then do not believe them. I got away. That's all I can really tell you for now. Please, don't be worried about me. I'm going to be fine. I'll be home soon. I promise. _

_xoxo _

_B _

Bella read through the note several times. It seemed good enough for her – it probably won't ease their anxiety but this would ease hers. She read over it one last time, and with a final sigh she looked for an envelope and finally found one, folding the note and slipping it in before licking the back, and sealing the flap. She wrote her father's address on the front but left out the return address. She then proceeded to get up, and as she did her hip hit the table and the jar of pens fell down to the floor.

"Shit." Bella murmured, setting the envelope to the side as she knelt down and grabbed the jar that luckily didn't shatter and began putting all the pens back. One though had rolled underneath the desk, and Bella saw it roll from the corner of her eye. She moved the chair and reached back into the darkness, trying to find the pen – but she hit something. Something cold and hard. She reached for it, grabbing hold and pulling it out. As it came out into the light, she notices that it was a metal rectangular box. Almost like a tool box. She squinted her eyes at it, turning it around to see the front.

There was a lock on it and Bella reached out to touch the cold object. She wondered if it was an actual tool box – and if so, why would Edward lock it? Her eyebrows raised and her curiosity was getting the better of her. Just as she pulled away to look for a key, the front door began unlocking. Bella turned the metal box around and shoved it back underneath the desk, grabbing the pen near it and putting it in the jar – setting it back on top of the desk as she walked to the kitchen and checked on the sauce.

"Something smells good." Edward said as he opened the door, Russell jumping up and down excitedly. "Down." Edward told him, who Russell obliged. Edward saw Bella stirring something at the stove which she then turned around to smile at him. "Honey, I'm home." He smirked.

"Oh good. I'm almost done." She said, turning back to the food. Edward set his keys onto the counter and walked up behind Bella, wrapping his arm protectively around her as he kissed the back of her neck. Bella giggled softly, reaching for a few bowls and setting them down next to the stove. "How was it?"

"Fine. They moved to this old abandoned warehouse. They still have no idea where you are, though." Edward said, his chin resting on her shoulder. "I think they're just about to give up."

"Have they been searching?" Bella asked, her body going rigid. Edward reached out and rubbed her sides – calming her significantly.

"Yes. They have been rummaging around the city. They know that if you were home, there would have been news reports on it. Since there are none, they have been on the hunt. They are no where near here though. They have no idea." He reassured her, kissing the side of her neck.

"Do they not know where you live?" She asked gently, pouring the water into the sink as she began putting noodles into the bowls.

"I would never tell them where I live. Plus – they don't even suspect me. This is just all the more reason why you need to stay inside. Not only are you being searched for by the police, but by the Volturi." He told her, tenderly holding her in his arms.

"The Volturi?" She asked.

"That's what they call themselves." He said, but Bella didn't respond. She just began pouring the sauce over the noodles as her body tensed up once again. Edward knew he probably should have kept his mouth shut – he also knew she needed to know. These were the dangers they were facing – more importantly she needed to know that nothing was going to harm her – not while he was around.

"Isabella." Edward breathed, turning her around and forcing her to stare right at him. She looked at him with scared brown eyes and he cupped her cheeks gingerly with his hands, "_Nothing_ is going to happen to you. I won't let it. You are safe here – I promise you. I won't let anyone hurt you." He paused, seeing her reach up and hold his hands that still rested on her cheeks. "Do you trust me?" It was here that Bella kept her eyes straight on his. He had no right for her to trust him – he knew that. He wanted her too – he wanted her to be able to trust him when he says that he will always take care of her – no matter what.

"I trust you." Bella nodded, pulling one of his hands away to kiss him gently on his knuckles. Edward smiled softly and then pulled her forward to embrace her in a kiss. His lips set against hers, and fire lit to both of their bodies. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and her arms around his neck. At the same time, their mouths opened and their tongues came into play. Bella moaned under her breath – her fingers running through his hair as he clutched her tighter to him – as if she were somehow going to disappear.

Their lips were like lightning, shocking and electrifying their bodies as they touched. Bella's hands moved down to his chin where she gently pulled away – but not before leaving him with a few pecks. She smiled and pulled away, untangling herself from him – turning around and grabbing a bowl.

"Dinner is served." She told him, handing the bowl to him. Edward took in the scent of the food, and the sight of his Isabella – wet hair pulled back, decked out in his clothing, and lips swollen and pink from his own.

"Oh yes," Edward began with a smirk. "I can definitely get used to this."

Xx

Charlie paced from side to side, gripping his hair roughly with one hand and the other holding a piece of paper.

_No prints, no paper trail, where the _fuck_ could she be? _

At this time, Renee had come back to Charlie's from shopping. This was her only escape away from the commotion going on – and the only way to get her Isabella out of her head. She set all of her bags down by the door and was ready to call Phil before she saw her ex-husband pacing in the living room.

"Charlie?" Renee called out, walking to him and setting a hand tenderly on his shoulder. "Charlie, what happened?"

"I don't know what to believe!" Charlie yelled, forcing Renee to widen her eyes. "They say they still have her and they want more money, but I just got this… And I just… I can't…"

"What did you get?" Renee breathed, glancing down at the letter in his hands. "Charlie, what is that?"

"A letter. From Bella." He breathed and Renee nearly pounced on him to get that letter. Once Charlie let go, she walked to the couch standing in front of it as she began to read…

_Mom & Dad, _

_I really don't know how to properly start this letter off. I guess there is just so much to say, that I have no idea where I can even begin and I only have a short amount of space to write it. I guess I should first off start by telling you that I'm okay. I know that may be hard to believe, but really – I am. I know you are probably scared about me and a few days ago that __sentiment would have been necessary, but not anymore. _

_I can't tell you exactly where I am, but I can tell you that I am not in any harm. Not anymore. I know that may be hard to believe, but I really want you to try and not worry anymore. I'm okay. Really. I'm actually – happy._

_I know that may seem tough to understand given the situation, but I'm away from the danger now. So if these people continue to say that they have me captive, then do not believe them. I got away. That's all I can really tell you for now. Please, don't be worried about me. I'm going to be fine. I'll be home soon. I promise. _

_xoxo _

_B _

Renee fell back down onto the couch, covering her lips as tears began to form in her eyes. She brought the letter close to her, holding it to her heart as the tears slipped down her cheeks – leaving trails of water in their wake.

"First they say they want more money – now I'm getting this – I don't know what to believe! How do we even know that she's the one who wrote that? She could have been forced! This is such fucking bull shit! I don't know what's happening anymore!" Charlie was clearly in rage – his lack of sleep and his depression over his missing daughter playing into this. "I just… I can't… I can't fucking do this anymore! I don't even know…" His sentences weren't completing themselves and finally Charlie had fell down onto his chair, setting his hand onto his forehead as he could feel his tears producing.

Renee and Charlie were both silent. Charlie was crying in his chair and Renee was speechless on the couch. It was silent – everything except the clock that ticked away their patience – or at least Charlie's.

"It's her." Renee whispered, forcing Charlie to drop his hand and look at his ex-wife. "This is her handwriting… I know it from anywhere. She always puts the x's and o's before the first letter of her name. _Always_."

"Renee, this could be a trap. They could have forced her to write that… Or something…" Charlie shrugged off.

"But that doesn't make any sense. Why would they demand more money but force her to write a note telling us not to send anymore money?" Renee shrugged, bringing her fingers to her bottom lip.

"It's the game they are trying to play." Charlie shrugged. "I don't know what the fuck they are trying to do."

"Charlie – I think we should go with this note." Renee said – her gut plus motherly instincts kicking in. "They wouldn't have made her write this if they wanted more money. This… It's the only explanation!"

"What if your wrong, Renee?" Charlie sneered as he stood from the chair. "What if this is some sick game they are trying to make us play – and they sent us this note so we don't send them money which only gives them more reason to kill her?"

"Charlie – I just… I can sense this. I just know it. I'm right… I can just feel it in my bones – in my heart." Renee cried as she stood up. "Our daughter is fine… She's safe… I believe this note. You should too."

Charlie winced slightly at his ex-wife and knew that if she was wrong – if this was wrong, it could cost them their daughter. Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Charlie let out a defeated sigh and rubbed his chin in thought. Renee didn't know if she was exactly right – but something inside of her told her that her daughter was safe – that she was being protected.

Silently, she thanked the Heavens that someone was keeping watch on their baby girl.

* * *

**Author's Note; Aww, aren't Edward and Bella the cutest? But as cute as they may be, those two can't seem to keep their hands off of each other.**

**Not really much to say here, except thank you to my beta Lauren who got this chapter to me quickly. It's always nice to send a chapter in and then get it two hours later.  
****And thank you to you guys for reading.**

**You know what to do. Leave me love, or hate. What ever strikes your fancy. I want to know what you think!**

**xoxo  
****shelby**

**p.s. follow me on twitter www(dot)twitter(dot)com/xbitterangelx**


	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

"I've got to go." Edward murmured against Bella's neck. He was fully dressed, she however, was stark naked besides the white sheets that adorned her body. Edward would never grow tired of seeing her in his bed in all of her glory.

"Mmm," Bella moaned softly from sleep, opening her eyes to see her Edward glancing down at her. "Okay." She managed to say, reaching forward as she flattened out a wrinkle in his shirt. "Hurry back."

"You know I will." He smirked, leaning down to peck her lips softly. Bella smiled, pulling him closer by his collar to deepen the kiss. Just like always, their tongues came into play and Edward let out a groan of resistance. She was making it very hard day by day for him to leave her.

"Mmm, Isabella." He murmured into her mouth, grabbing her chin to gently pull her away. "Don't tempt me."

"Too late." She whispered, pulling him back in.

As alluring as she was, Edward could not be late. He wanted to see how far along the Volturi were on Bella's tracks, and last time he checked they had no kind of trace whatsoever. They were baffled though – wondering that maybe she had died on her way home since she hadn't made it back and it had been days already. He knew they would never find her, but he always liked to make sure they were six steps behind, he liked the reassurance of her safety.

"I have to go." He smirked against her lips, hearing her whine in protest. "I'll be back soon." He lifted himself from the bed, looking down at her.

"Promise?" She asked, and something about her voice was so angelic. Edward couldn't help but smile at the beautiful girl wrapped in sheets, _his_ sheets, as she questioned whether he would be back sooner rather than later.

"I swear." He leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead just before leaving.

Bella forced herself out of the bed, changing into a shirt of Edward's that hung down to her knees. She went to the kitchen, Russell on her heels as always, as she made herself a pot of coffee. The day was new, but Bella was trapped in Edward's apartment. She didn't mind while he was here, but when he was gone – it was like the day ticked by even slower. So to pass the time, Bella read through several books, listened to Edward's albums and played fetch with Russell.

A few hours later, Bella stepped out of the shower, grabbing a towel to dry her body. Once dry, she pulled on a clean pair of shorts and a white v-neck, both courtesy from Edward as she ran her brush through her wet hair. As she finished with her hair, which was now straight and silky, she heard Russell start to bark – his paws scratching across the floor and out of the bedroom. Bella wouldn't have thought anything of it – maybe he saw a shadow or a bird outside the window, but she then heard the front door open and close.

_Edward isn't supposed to be home until six_.

Before she had gotten in the shower, it was three. Her breathing hitched in her throat, and her chest tightened with fear. Russell had stopped barking, but she could hear movement in the kitchen. If it were Edward, he would have called her name out already. Bella worried that it may be the Volturi – maybe they had found Edward's apartment and decided to search. What would that mean for Edward if they had found her? They would hurt him undoubtedly.

_I wouldn't let them_.

Bella searched around the bathroom for some kind of weapon – anything she could find that could cause damage. She found a pair of scissors, used for cutting hair and gripped them tightly. Her instincts for survival that had come alive when she was kidnapped had reappeared once again. She touched the door of the bathroom and opened it quietly. The movement was still coming from the kitchen and Bella slowly began out to the bedroom as she planted her back flush against the wall and inched closer to the door.

Her heart was pounding, her lips pressing together as she clutched the scissors tighter, making an indent in the palm of her hand. Her hand had touched the frame of the open door – and just as she was about to turn, something coming in the bedroom had run into her.

The scissors were dropped in shock; two voices began to scream in surprise. The body that had hit Bella launched back instinctually, Bella reached down for the scissors, not getting a glimpse of whoever had broken in. Bella held the scissors towards the perpetrator, only to see the young girl – maybe around Bella's age, standing flush against the wall.

"Hey! Put those down before you hurt someone!" The girl screamed in accusation. Bella had not recognized this girl – the only girl from the Volturi had blonde hair.

_But then – who is this_?

"_Helllllooo_? Are you deaf? Put those down!" The girl with spiky black hair yelled through clenched teeth. She was short – much shorter than Bella. She was decked out in a silver dress, a diamond necklace adorning her neck and black pumps. This girl was harmless. Bella dropped her hands, but kept the scissors at her side, just in case. _Looks can be deceiving_.

"Who are you?" Bella asked, wondering maybe – just maybe… Could this be one of Edward's ex-lovers? His girlfriend that he had seemingly forgotten to tell her about? Bella shuddered at the thought.

"If you drop those scissors on the bed, I'll tell you. You know what they say, first impressions stick." The girl gulped, Bella finally threw the scissors on the bed more interested in finding out who this girl was and her relation to Edward than her own safety. The girl relaxed and straightened up, smoothing down her dress. "That's better." She smiled. "I'm Alice." She reached her hand forward for Bella to shake – but Bella just stood still. "No? The name doesn't ring a bell?" She asked, Bella only shook her head. "Figures. He wouldn't tell you about me, that asshole."

"Are you…" Bella began with trembling lips, "Are you his girlfriend?"

Alice's face contorted into disgust as she stuck out her tongue and quickly shook her head, "What? _Ew_! No way! He's my brother!" She gagged and Bella couldn't help let out a sigh of relief. "I think the _real _question here is, who are _you_? Edward usually doesn't let his one-night-stands spend the night."

_One-night stands?_

Alice brought her hands onto her hips, and Bella had to pretend she wasn't just slapped in the face.

"Uh…" Bella began softly. "I'm Bella." She said softly. "I'm Edwards…" She trailed off, not really knowing how to complete the sentence. Friend? Girlfriend? Bella just shrugged, and rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly.

"_You're_ Isabella?" Alice asked as Bella flinched slightly. She didn't like when people called her by her first name besides Edward. Instead of correcting Alice, Bella just nodded her head. "Oh my God. Why didn't you say so? You must think I'm such a bitch!" Alice giggled, but Bella didn't respond – still frozen with confusion. "You have to understand, I've walked in here on many girls before…" Alice laughed and Bella flushed pale. "Oh, not that I mean that in a bad way… Well you know Edward is kind of a ladies man…" Alice was just rambling; finally she just stopped herself from keeping this ball from rolling. "What I mean is, I've just met a lot of his friends. I didn't know you were… _You_."

"Me?" Bella asked and she raised a brow.

"Here, come with me." Alice grabbed Bella's hand and pulled her out of the bedroom. "He told me about you. At first, I thought that prick was lying. Never once would I expect him to have a girlfriend…" She laughed, forcing color to rise up on Bella's cheeks. They stopped in the middle of the sitting room, next to the counter of the kitchen. Alice smiled up at her brother's new girlfriend, though his new girlfriend was still very apprehensive. "But here you are." She smiled, gesturing with her hands to Bella. "Never thought I'd see the day."

Bella didn't know how to respond – she wasn't very good with conversations with people she had just met – and especially Alice who was the exact opposite of Bella. Alice could sense Bella's hesitation and instead of being offended, she just smiled and continued talking.

"You have to know – my brother never asks me to buy him anything. He's very independent when it comes to his money – which is only a little bit as you can see." She began, gesturing to his apartment. "We tried to give him loans to upgrade himself in a better apartment, but that man is so relentless." Alice breathed, and Bella would have said something if Alice didn't pick up once again. "So you can imagine my shock when I got a call yesterday from him, asking me to go buy girl clothes. _Girl clothes_. I couldn't even envision what he wanted to do with girl clothes!" Alice giggled as they moved into the kitchen; four large bags sprawled across the floor. "But now I know. So, here you go!"

"This is all… For me?" Bella asked softly, biting onto her bottom lip. She was comfortable with just being in Edward's clothes – she thought he was too.

"Don't worry. He told me not to buy anything too flashy. This is all from retail stores. Nothing name-brand. Just your casual jeans, shirts, bras – which he seemed to be right in size…" She said, glancing down at Bella's breast and then back up to her. "But I did go a little overboard with the panties. I just couldn't help it. Victoria's Secret has too many cute things. I hope you don't mind boy short panties."

Bella shook her head.

"I figured he had some girl crashing here, but I totally forgot he mentioned you a few weeks ago to me." She smiled and walked to the bags. "And you're sure he hasn't mentioned me?"

"He said he had siblings…" Bella began softly, watching as Alice began showing off different clothing.

"The bastard. He's always been embarrassed by us." She rolled her eyes as she showed Bella a very modest plaid top – something Bella could see herself wearing. Bella began to warm up to Alice and slowly, she even joined her in looking through the assortments of clothes.

"I don't think he's embarrassed. I just really haven't asked more about his family." She shrugged, looking to Alice who was staring at Bella impassively. "Maybe I should have asked him."

"You know, Isabella…" Alice began.

"Bella." She told her.

"_Bella_. You look strangely familiar. Have we met before?" Alice asked, and Bella froze instantly. She had forgotten that Edward told her that her face was everywhere in Seattle. She should have been smarter – should have forged a name. It wouldn't have teetered Alice's suspicion if she saw Bella in the newspaper, but it would have given Edward and Bella more time to be together.

"No, I don't live around here." Bella shrugged. "I was just visiting and that's when I met Edward."

"Oh." Alice said, shrugging off her earlier comment. "Where are you from?"

"Port Angeles." Bella lied and shifted uncomfortably as she began folding the clothes back into the bag. "I was here for a job interview, and I ran into Edward at a Starbucks." Bella couldn't believe she was lying as well as she was. She figured all the other times she lied, it was for pointless things. Now that she had something worth keeping, lying came naturally.

"How cliché." Alice smirked and Bella returned it coyly_. If only she really knew. There is nothing cliché about how we really met_. "But those are the best ones. The ones where you don't think it can happen to you, and then BAM. You're drinking in your coffee and the sight of the love of your life." At this, Bella coughed. _Love of my life_?

It wasn't a far-fetched idea. No, it was an idea that had been sitting in her brain for awhile now. Their meeting was odd to say the least, but Bella enjoyed being with Edward and she was pretty sure he enjoyed being with her. Not for just the sex, though that was a good part of it, but for the very fact alone that in the little time she has known him and even littler time they've been together, she felt something with him. She'd never felt it with someone before. It was the kind of connection you only hear about in books and movies, but she knew it was there.

She only wondered if he knew it was there as well.

"These are nice." Bella said as she unfolded jeans. As comfortable as she was in Edward's sweats, she couldn't help but feel excited about wearing something she didn't have to pull up constantly.

"Oh, they look great if you're wearing heels too. They lift your ass in amazing ways. Trust me; you'll get a lot of eyes when you wear those." Alice said as she picked at the cereal box she had opened and gorged herself in. "So, how long have you two been together?"

This question forced Bella to pause. She didn't know what to say. Should she start when they first met? Or when they actually became lovers? Of course, the details would not be told but she didn't have to lie about this.

"A little over a month." Bella said, folding her new _ass_-jeans and setting them back into the bag while Alice showed her a modest pair of black converses and green flip-flops.

"Damn." Alice breathed, "Honestly, Bella, for a little while, my brother Emmett and I pegged Edward as gay. I mean, I knew he had strippers that he would…" Alice stopped when she saw Bella's eyes widen, and quickly peddled backwards. "I mean… Sexual…Partners…" She tried the words out, but decided the damage was done and she would just move on. "But you know there are guys out there who swing both ways. I mean, he's twenty five years old and has never brought a girl home to meet our parents. Maybe you'll be the first." She smirked, and Bella smiled back thoughtfully.

"Maybe." She replied with a soft whisper. The thought of meeting Edward's parents sent a shock of anticipation through her. What if he was the one? Bella was not like the normal girls… She never waited around for her prince charming, and opened up to every guy she met. She was wary, curious, cautious, and knew that there's more out there than just relationships. But with Edward, things were different. It was such a short amount of time, everything was happening so quickly, but these feelings don't just come out of nowhere. She knew that. She knew that this wasn't some kind of game she was playing with herself.

This was real.

As Bella continued to ponder on the thought, Alice showed her the rest of her clothes. Everything was modest. Jeans, shorts, t-shirts, lacy bras, nothing was too flashy just like Alice promised earlier. She did, however, go overboard with the panties. She apologized to Bella, but told her if someone was significant enough to Edward and he allowed his sister to use her money on them, she was allowed to go a little crazy.

Bella warmed up greatly to Alice. Though the two couldn't be anymore different personality wise, Bella figured that that was a good thing_. I guess it goes to show opposites really do attract_. It was clear Alice was rich, or at least her family was, Bella knew this from what Edward told her, but Alice didn't flaunt it, not like the girls Bella knew back at home in Phoenix. That's why she never befriended any of them. Alice insisted of giving Bella her number, but Bella didn't have a phone. Alice told her that if she needed anything at all then she can call through Edward's phone. Bella smiled with gratification and nodded.

With Russell at the side of the couch, and Alice and Bella curled up on the cushions, getting to know one another, everything was going perfect – that is until the door began to unlock.

"Alice?" Edward asked, wide eyed and palms now sweating from nerves. "What are you doing here? I told you I would meet you at Mom's." Alice smiled and stood from the couch, brushing back a bit of black hair from her eyes.

"Oh I know, but I was in the neighborhood and I decided to just drop these by. Why didn't you tell me these were for Bella?" Alice smiled back at Bella who shifted uncomfortably on the sofa but still smiled none the less.

"I…I…" Edward was trying to grasp for words but he was too shocked. And the fact that she hadn't even mentioned that Isabella was the girl who has been missing for over a month made him fear for not only his safety, but his lovers. But, Alice was a bit oblivious and she avoided the news as much as possible saying that it was too sad for her taste, whatever that meant. "It was none of your business." He managed to get out.

"Well _ex-cussse_ me." Alice snapped, forcing Bella to bite her inner cheek to spare from laughing. "I didn't know that it was such a secret. I can see that I am unwanted here." Alice headed for her purse that sat on the kitchen counter.

"Alice, wait." Bella began. If Edward wasn't going to feel guilty for his comment towards his sister, then Bella would.

"No, no. Its okay, Bella. I'm not angry with you." She smiled at her new friend and then glared at her brother. "It's _him_ who's being a douche."

"Ouch." Edward grabbed his shoulder as if Alice had punched him, but of course he was being sarcastic. Alice flipped him off and headed for the door.

"_Edward_." Bella growled as she passed him, but reached Alice just in time. "Don't listen to him. He's just being an asshole." Bella said, and Edward scoffed. "It's just, we aren't really open with our relationship yet and we'd like to keep it that way. Just for a little while longer."

Alice sighed softly, raising her perfectly shaped brows as she looked back to Bella and Edward. Slowly she began to relax and then finally gave Edward a pointed look, "I like her, Edward." Alice said, looking fiercely at her brother. "She's got that spunk that you seem to lack."

"And what you can't get rid of." Edward murmured more to himself than to the girls. But he knew that he was being wrong. It wasn't her fault that she stumbled upon Bella – she had no idea. He was shocked to say the least, but decided he would make it up to his sister. "I'm sorry." He muttered, causing Alice's eye's to pop. He rarely apologized for his words. "I'm going to make some dinner. You want to stay?"

Alice then proceeded to smirk as her hands went onto her hips. "Only if you open the Chianti I brought you the other week."

"It's a deal." Edward grinned.

Xx

After a long dinner filled with Garlic Chicken, Wine and conversations, the three bodies relaxed at the table, chatting about everything and nothing. Alice was interested in Bella's background; Edward warily gazed at his Isabella, sending a message with his eyes that she needed to be careful. Bella received the message loud and clear and told Alice everything about her life besides the fact that instead of Phoenix, she lived in Port Angeles; and instead of her being kidnapped she has just been staying in Seattle.

Both Edward and Bella knew that their time could be limited now that Alice has met Bella. Once Alice realizes that this is the Bella that's been missing for weeks, she will surely go to her parents and all though they love Edward dearly, they would do the right thing. The thought of being separated from Bella left a gaping hole in Edward. There were moments when he just wanted to tell Alice what happened, but he couldn't put that on her. Not now at least, not when Bella and her were just getting to be close.

So instead, Edward sat back and watched his sister get along with his lover. At a certain point, Bella could see the unease in Edward's eyes and she reached over the little table and held onto it soothingly. Edward smiled at her, but she knew his smile was troubled.

After eleven, Alice bid the two goodnight and promised she'd return soon so she could spend more time with Bella. After she had left, Bella could see Edward already working on cleaning the kitchen. She blew a big breath of air in front of her, her hair floating above her until she inhaled again. She walked to Edward, seeing his covered back tense with worry. She wrapped her arms around his waist unexpectedly and he held still, feeling her chest flush against his back. He sat down the dirty plate in his hands and moved his fingers across her arms.

Bella leaned forward to press a kiss to the center of his back, reassuring him that they would be okay, no matter what may happen.

And instead of talking about the situation, they would let it go for the night and talk about it in the morning. "I'll help you clean." Bella said, attempting get their minds off of what had just happened.

"Alice is wonderful." Bella smiled as she dried off a wine glass.

"She's annoying." Edward breathed, handing Bella a bowl and allowing her to dry it with the dish towel. Bella didn't fail to notice that he had a different towel for every particular task. There was the green one for washing dishes, the blue one for drying your hands, the red one for cleaning the counters, and the brown one for dusting. But Bella only ignored his OCD tendencies and tried as hard as she could to keep everything to his likings.

"She's not annoying." Bella rolled her eyes at him as he handed her a glass – smirking. "Okay, she's a little… Exuberant."

"_Exuberant_." Edward chuckled as he soaked one of his plates, grabbing his yellow sponge as he began to clean it off. "She's a firecracker. But the difference between her and an actual firecracker is she doesn't simmer."

"Oh hush." Bella giggled, pushing his shoulder lightly and forcing him to smirk. "You love her. I could tell by the way you acted."

"Of course I love her. She's my sister." He shrugged, "But she's like a little tick. You can't seem to get her off of you." He smirked back at Bella as she finished drying the last plate.

"Yes, well you know what they say about sisters. _Sweet is the voice of a sister in the season of sorrow._" Bella murmured, setting the last plate down as she turned to press her back against the counter and cross her arms over her chest.

"Benjamin Disraeli." Edward smirked as he dried his hands on the blue towel. "Very smart, Miss Swan. And quite frankly – kind of hot."

"Do you get hot and bothered when I speak quotes to you?" Bella giggled, covering her mouth with one hand as she pushed off the counter with the other.

"I can't help it. Your astuteness brings out the beast in me." He smirked and pushed himself off his side of the counter as well, the two only meeting in the middle. They didn't touch each other, instead were only a wisp apart. That's when Bella reached a finger out and touched his chest, her nail gently raking across his shirt.

"Then you'll love this." She smirked as she looked up to him. "_What day is day, night is night, and time is time, were nothing but to waste night, day, and time_."

"Oh, _baby_. Don't stop." Edward smirked, wrapping his arms around Bella's small waist and pulling her closer to him. Bella bit down at her lip, now all fingers raking over his chest and finally her arms reached up – wrapping around his neck.

"_All great lovers are articulate, and verbal seduction is the surest road to actual seduction._" The words came out as a purr, and this time it was no joking matter. Edward's lips straightened into a hard line, as his eyes closed – letting out a soft groan. That one had _really_ affected him. He pulled his lover up and into his arms, her legs wrapping around his waist as he set her onto the counter. If his lust wasn't in full gear right now – he'd be worrying about her sitting on his counter, but his OCD was nowhere to be found in these moments.

"I missed you so much today." He moaned against her neck, kissing her skin softly. His lips traveled down to the V of his shirt she was wearing. "I couldn't stop thinking about you when I was at work. It was torturous."

"It seems… _Ahh_…" Bella paused to moan as she felt Edward's teeth against her neck. "That you are a little infatuated with me." Bella bit at her lip, her arms going around his shoulders.

"Oh, Bella, I'm _very_ infatuated with you." He told her, and she smiled to herself. "And I know you are with me." He brought his head up to look straight into her eyes. When their eyes connected, his dark green emeralds caused her heart to beat even faster than it already was – there was something about the way he looked at her, making her feel wanted and possibly… _Loved_. Edward set his hands on the cabinets behind her, trapping her in his arms as he gazed at her – right into her soul. "I can see it in your eyes." He began, catching her out of her thoughts, "I can see that you are just as in-tune with me as I am with you."

"Of course I am." Bella breathed, reaching her hand forward as her fingers splayed across his cheeks. "I always have been." She whispered and he dropped his hands, bringing one forward to touch her chin as the other arm wrapped around her waist.

"Always?" He murmured gently.

Bella nodded. "Always."

Edward then proceeded to let out a loud groan, his body moving dangerously closer to hers as his lips sought out her own. The two began kissing – as if tomorrow they wouldn't be able to. Lips crashed against each other, tongue touched vigorously as Edward's hands found the shorts she was wearing. He didn't have a condom on him, or near him – so instead of stripping down and taking her as his here, he decided to please her with a different part of his body. He pressed his lips to her jaw line, sucking in a bit of flesh as his fingertips gently skimmed the outline of her shorts.

Bella let out a breathy moan, her fingers attempting to grab his shirt and pull it off.

Edward would have none of that. Right now – it was about his lovely Isabella. He grabbed her wrists, pulling them up above her head, against the cabinet, clasping them there as his head came up to stare straight into her eyes. She knew. Instead of whimpering at the fact that she could not touch him, she watched as he peeled off her own shirt, his lips skimming across the smooth surface of her neck as one hand came out to cup her now bare right breast.

Bella moaned in satisfaction, bringing her hands down a little as she tried to inch closer to him, arching her back to feel more of him. Edward kissed her upper chest, his teeth raking across the mounds of flesh that perked at his touch. His free hand had skimmed down her bare front, his fingers etching across her ribcage, making her whine in pleasure. He looked up at her with a smirk just before returning his lips to her neck. His other hand continually cupped her breast, massaging it gently and his thumb teasing over her rosy nipple.

Edward found the top of her shorts and slowly dipped his hand down inside. His head tilted as he felt her and Bella jumped at the slight coldness of his fingertips, but enjoyed the feel of it.

"Oh, Isabella." He murmured against the skin of her shoulder, hearing her cry out as he put pressure onto her needing sex. "_My_ Isabella." He whispered very lowly, his voice vibrating against her skin.

Bella was erupted with different sensations. The feel him kneading her breast and of course massaging her _there_ – Bella couldn't concentrate on both, but her mind tried. And tried it did as she felt one of his gifted fingers slip inside of her. She cried out, arching herself and allowing him more access to anywhere – she didn't care, as long as he touched her. And of course there were his words.

"You are so ready for me, _my_ Isabella." _My Isabella_. If she weren't so high on his touch, she would realize that he was claiming her – making him his own. What Edward didn't know is that he already had her to do what whatever he wanted. She was his, and he was hers. "Tell me what you want." He cooed against her neck, bringing himself up to look at her. Bella's eyes opened and he could see the passion underneath those beautiful chocolate ovals.

"I want you to kiss me." Bella said without any hesitation.

"Where?" Edward asked softly, and when Bella didn't answer the finger that was inside of her was joined with another one and both curled. Bella threw her head back and moaned loudly. "There?" He asked, and she nodded her approval. "I will do anything to please you, my dove."

Edward's fingers had then disappeared and Bella whimpered ever so slightly, but was only rewarded with him vigorously forcing down her shorts. Edward knelt down between her open legs, and if it weren't for the fact that this was Edward she would have been embarrassed. But he was her lover, and she knew that he appreciated her – all of her. Edward grabbed Bella's calf, raising it over his shoulder to leave her more exposed and before she knew it, his lips were on her. Bella let out a loud moan of ecstasy, her hands immediately going to his hair as she raked through it gently.

"Edward…" Bella whimpered, feeling his tongue lapse around her again and again. She tried to be easy with him, her fingers just raking over his scalp but when she felt him begin to suck on her sensitive bud her fingernails began scarping harder. She pulled away from his hand, trying not to hurt him as her nail went to his shoulder. Edward's finger came into play again and it wasn't long before Bella was stilling and toppling over the edge.

Her body convulsed from the pleasure, and her head went back and rested on the hardness of the cabinet as she screamed his name. This caused Edward's chest to swell with pride, knowing that he was the only one to make her scream like that. And with one last kiss to her inner thigh, he brought himself up, kissing along her body as he did so. Once leveled with her again, he noticed her eyes were closed and her breathing was heavy. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her bottom lip, forcing her eyes to open.

Once Bella gained conscious of her body, her hands slipped on his shoulders and her arms went around his neck. Her face came closer and her lips touched his gently. Edward then proceeded to lift his Isabella off the counter and walk her to his room where the two connected together as one, and nothing else in the world seemed to matter.

Xx

Later that night the two lovers lay in bed with each other – completely hung up on their blissful love making. Half of Edward's body covered Isabella's protectively, his fingers gently skimming down her soft arm. The two gazed lovingly into each other's eyes and occasionally the stare would be broken so one of them could kiss the other. At a certain time of the night, Bella had begun stroking her lover's chest, her fingers kneading through the soft hair there as her fingers began scraping down his right pectoral.

"Do you think," Isabella began with a soft voice as she broke their eye connection, "That it would have been easier if I just went home first?" She then looked up into his eyes to see him staring down at her in confusion. "That maybe I could have just introduced you to my parents, and we didn't have to go through all this hiding?" It was just a question on the brim of her mind that constantly nagged her – would it have been easier? _Could we have been together without all of this secret_?

Edward looked down to her arm, stroking it gently with his hand as he thought about his answer. Of course he had thought about it – always thinking there could have been an easier way to go about their relationship, but he couldn't change the past – and he could only give her hope for the future.

"Just after you and I had become lovers, I thought about that," Edward began, grabbing her wrist and bringing it up to his lips as he kissed her soft skin. "Maybe on some kind of alternate universe it would have been easier, but I knew that here it wouldn't have been." Edward began softly. "I realized that had you gone straight home, your arrival would have been all over the news. If I was with you…" He stopped to take a breath, one that was long and heavy, "The Volturi would have seen me. They would have known. And they would have come after me." He told her, and Bella froze, not knowing what she would do if they did come after him. _It would break me_.

"Maybe I should have just let you go – before we even got involved with each other like we are now… It may have been easier and we could have waited to be together after the news had died down." Edward stopped to trace her veins with his lips all the way down to where the disappeared a few inches below her wrist. "When you do decide to go home, we won't be able to be with each other for awhile. At least until the news of your arrival begins to dissipate."

"I don't want to be apart from you." Bella said quickly, forcing Edward to stop his movements. He looked down at her, his free hand moving forward to press against her temple, moving back and into her hair as he gazed sadly down in her brown eyes.

"It will be hard." Edward whispered quietly, the thought of being separated from her forcing a lump in the back of his throat.

"I don't have to go." She began, "I could stay here. With you."

"Not go back?" Edward asked, liking the idea but knowing that it was impossible. He knew Bella was only saying these things because she was hung up on the idea of him – just as he was with her. "What about your dreams of being a Professor? I couldn't let you give those up just for me. It wouldn't be fair."

Bella was now staring at his chest, her arm curving behind his shoulder to feel the broad muscles underneath his warm skin. She leaned forward and pressed a kiss just above his heart, like she had done a few nights ago. Edward took in a deep breath – the action always made his heart swell, no one had ever been so affectionate towards him. None of the women he had been with every raked their fingers through his hair, or kissed him just above his heart and quite frankly, he was glad they didn't. But it wouldn't have mattered if they did because it was much more special coming from his Isabella.

"What if I said you were worth it?" She asked, glancing up at him to see his intense stare. "I know it sounds crazy… And maybe I am being stupid, but I can't shake this feeling that you and I are supposed to be together." She looked down, hoping he didn't think she was being too forward. She didn't want to push him away. Edward smiled down at his Angel and tilted her chin upwards with his fingers. They just looked at each other – their eyes intense and brimming with emotion. None of them spoke a word – not until it was appropriate to.

"I'm not worth it." Edward whispered so softly that if it weren't for the very fact that he was only inches from her, she wouldn't have heard it.

"I think you are." She responded quickly.

"Because you, my Isabella, are completely smitten with me." He smirked; Bella reflected it, pressing her head closer so that their foreheads were touching. Her hand came up to stroke his cheek and the two smiled tenderly at each other, but both knew the serious of this topic.

"Aren't you smitten with me?" Bella pouted playfully, Edward quickly leaned forward to kiss her and remove the pout.

"Of course I am. Can't you tell?" He grinned as he began to worship her neck, kissing up and down her soft skin. "You are an Angel, Isabella. You are my Angel. I will always handle you with care…" He paused to let a deep breath against her soft skin, and inhaled heavily before he continued, "But I can't let you give up your dreams just because your too busy being smitten with me." He smirked against her skin; but Bella could not find herself to smile. Edward brought his head up and stroked a piece of hair back behind her hair that hung in front of her eyes, hiding the beautiful sparkling chestnut color.

"Edward, I'm serious." She said lowly.

"So am I." He murmured.

"Then is it just me?" Bella asked innocently. "Are you not feeling this way as well?" The thought of his answer forced Bella to look down. She was ashamed. Maybe she was over looking things, maybe to him she was just someone to spend lonely nights with and when he was finished with her he would kick her out.

Edward could see her insecurities and he quickly cupped her face in his hands and brought her back to level with him. "Isabella, of course I feel this too." He began, "How we met was unfortunate, but I would never trade it for the world. We've come so far in these past few months. You've been teaching me things I thought never existed." He stopped himself to collect his words, not wanting to overload her with too much. "You have become my number one priority and I love just being with you. Having you in my bed, waking up next to you, able to make love to you, and just spending time with you." He leaned forward to press a kiss to her plump lips. "You make me a better man. I'm thankful for that. But I will not let you give up your goals and dreams for me. Trust me, I am not worth it. And even if you say I am, that still shouldn't lessen the fact that you ought to give them up. And I wouldn't want you too."

"Our separation will be hard, but it will only be for a little while. And you don't have to go now. When you're ready." He leaned forward, the tips of their noses rubbing ever so slightly. "But I won't let you put your life on hold for me. I'd feel cruel. Like I'm trapping you here. Can you at least understand that?"

Bella nodded her head slowly and then she began to move, turning her back towards him. Edward felt a sharp pain in his body, as if someone had punched him. He wasn't used to being rejected on any kind of circumstance. But his worry was eased away when Bella reached for his arm, pulling him to her so that he was cupping her body with his own. Flesh against flesh. All talking ceased to exist and the only thing they needed was to feel each other. But something was at the tip of Bella's tongue, and she didn't know if she should express it or not, but it was there. Teetering off the edge and ready to let him know how she really felt. She wouldn't want to scare him – but she didn't want to pretend that these feelings didn't exist. So ever so slightly she opened her mouth and began to whisper.

"Edward…" She paused, letting his name soak the air around them. He hummed his response and Bella felt her mouth go dry. She took in a deep breath, her lips pressing together before she started again, "I think I'm falling in love with you." It was a soft whisper, but she knew he heard her.

Edward didn't say anything for a moment and Bella wanted to kick herself for the words, but before she could even regret them, she felt his lips against the bare of her left shoulder, caving upwards into the side of her neck as they then found her ear.

"I have already fallen in love with you, _my Isabella_."

* * *

**!Author's Note; Okay, so I hope that answers your questions. Many of you were asking why they didn't just go straight to Bella's home and start there. Well I hope the answer you got in the chapter was sufficient enough for you! I really didn't know how else to explain it.**

**In books, movies, and even in real life people do the wrong things when they are caught up in the moment. So there are going to be a lot of 'what if's' and I understand that. You guys are just trying to decipher what's going on, but trust me… I know what is happening, and your answers will be revealed soon enough.**

**I hope you guys enjoyed this. It's much longer than usual chapters.**

**Thanks to my beta, Lauren who packed this fucker out in hours.  
****And thanks to you guys for reading!**

**Leave me some love. Or hate. Tell me whatever you want. I love hearing your guys response, honestly.**

**xoxo  
****shelby**

**p.s. follow me on twitter! www(dot)twitter(dot)com/xbitterangelx !**


	18. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

"Hey mom." Alice chirped, her arms filled with shopping bags as she reached her adopted mother, Esme, kissing her on the cheek.

"Good afternoon, sweetie." Esme chimed as she sat in the living room, typing on her Mac as the rim of her glasses slid down. "I see you went out shopping."

"Mmhm." Alice smirked, sliding the bags off of her arms. "You want me to show you what I got?" She asked enthusiastically. Esme smiled warmly, setting her computer to the side as she took off her glasses. Alice then began rummaging through all her bags, and Esme murmured her feedback. She knew her daughter always had good taste in clothes, but even if she didn't it wouldn't matter what her opinion would be – Alice would wear what Alice wanted to wear. But, she admired that spunk about her daughter – it's what made her special. As Alice began folding everything back into her bags, the front door opened and the little patter of feet hit the ground.

"Gamma!" A little boy filled with black curly hair rounded the corner, searching for his Grandmother's arms.

"Nicky!" Esme shouted in shock, holding her arms out for her grandson to jump in. Once he did, he nestled into her chest as she curled her arms around him, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "You aren't supposed to be here until a few more hours."

"Mommy and Daddy wanted to weave earwier." Nicky said, forcing Esme to smile at her grandson's lack of use of the letter L.

"They did?" She asked and Nicky nodded once again just before Esme leaned in and kissed his cheek. "Well, good thing. Because I was just about to bake…Cookies!" She said the last word in surprise, and Nicky's eyes lit up like they did on Christmas morning.

"Can I hewp?" He asked eagerly, bouncing in her arms.

"Of course! How could I not bake them without my little assistant?" She grinned, kissing his forehead.

"No hug for Aunt Alice?" Alice pouted playfully as she set her arms over her chest as if she were hurt. Nicky blushed shyly, but instead of hiding he reached out for his Aunt. Alice welcomed her nephew with welcome arms and held him on her hip.

"Sorry Aunt Awice." Nicky said, shoving his head into her covered shoulder.

"It's okay buddy. I still love you." Alice smirked, as she set the little boy down and let him run off just as a much larger version of Nicky rounded the corner.

"You could have called and told us you were coming earlier, Emmett." Esme scolded as she walked into the kitchen and began pulling out the cookie sheets.

"Sorry, Ma." Emmett smirked, leaning forward to press a kiss to her cheek. "Rose is insistent about getting to the Airport. She thinks we'll miss our plane."

"And I wonder why she thinks that." Alice chimed in and rested her arms on the granite of the counter. "Could it be because last time, you two were too busy shagging it up in the bathroom in the airport that your plane left without you?" She smirked inwardly.

"Hey, at least I'm getting it in." Emmett shrugged, punching his sister's shoulder slightly. Alice grimaced at him, the boyfriend subject a little touchy, but knew he was just joking around with her so she opted to stick her tongue out at him.

"Okay, you two. Please… I really don't want to hear about my son and daughter in law's reasons on why they're always late to everywhere they go." Esme flinched.

"Ma, its just biology." Emmett smirked.

"Oh, okay. So you wouldn't mind me telling you what kind of Science experiments your father and I engaged in last night?" Esme challenged as she pulled out the flour and sugar.

"Please! Don't!" Both Emmett and Alice yelled at the same time.

At this time, Rosalie, in all of her blonde hair glory, came sauntering into the kitchen, Nicky by her side and Gavin, their one year old, in her arms. It was clear that Nicky took after Emmett, and Gavin with his full head of blonde locks, took after Rosalie. And with two sons, and her beautiful figure still intact, Rosalie is what Emmett likes to call a MILF. Mother I'd Like To… "Hi mom." Rosalie said, leaning forward as she pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"Hello, Darling." Esme returned the kiss just before taking little Gavin into her arms. "And how is my youngest Grandson today?"

"Cranky." Rose sighed as she wiped the milk stain from her shirt.

"Aww," Esme mused as she kissed Gavin on his small nose. "Well, I'm sure we can boost that mood up."

"Good luck." Rosalie rolled her eyes playfully. "Our plane leaves at one. We should get to England around midnight. I have diapers and wipes in the bag I'm going to leave you, as well as some snacks just in case they get hungry…"

"Rose," Esme began, leaning forward and pressing a hand onto her arm. "I know how to take care of children. Remember, I raised three."

"Speaking of which, where is that prick of a brother of ours?" Emmett asked curiously, whilst covering Nicky's ears as Alice cleared her throat awkwardly. "He didn't even show up yesterday. I hardly see him anymore." Nicky giggled, pulling away from him father and punching him playfully on the leg before running off to Esme.

"Yeah, what's he doing with his life now?" Rosalie asked as she began shuffling for Gavin's pacifier once he began to cry softly in Esme's arms.

"I wish I knew." Esme sighed sadly, bobbing the small toddler in her arms. "Last time I talked to him was about a month ago."

"How about you Alice? Have you heard from him?" Emmett asked as Alice froze on spot. She didn't have to say anything about Bella – promising both her and Edward she wouldn't, but she was so happy for Edward that the words were just on the tip of her tongue. But, she knew she had to keep her mouth shut. She wondered why there was all this secrecy, but she didn't want to go on her word. Especially if that meant if she had to deal with a very angry Edward.

"I saw him a few days ago." Alice said softly, her fingers drawing circles on the top of the granite counter absently. Abstinently

"You did?" Esme said, now handing Gavin to Rosalie as her eyes widened. "How is he doing? Is he alright? Does he have enough food? He won't answer my calls… You know, I'm very worried about him."

"Mom, _mom_…" Alice repeated until Esme stopped talking. "He's good. I stocked his fridge a few weeks ago and he seems to be doing alright money wise."

"I say we drop by when Rose and I get back and give him a visit." Emmett boomed loudly.

"No!" Alice yelled, catching the attention of everyone in the room. She didn't realize she had yelled it out so loud, and when she caught her mistake she cleared her throat, recovering from her slip. "It's just… You know how he is with unplanned visits. And I wouldn't want Emmett and him to get in a fight." Alice lied coolly, relaxing back against the stool she was sitting in. "He's doing fine. Trust me. And he said he's going to come and visit soon."

"He said that?" Esme's eyes lit up with excitement. It was a beautiful sight for Alice to see her mother get so happy, but also a sad one. Out of all of the children, Alice knew Edward had a very special place in Esme's heart. Not that she loved him more because she loved them all equally, but because when Edward was younger the two of them were very close. It was when Edward decided to leave on his eighteenth birthday to move into some trashy neighborhood that broke their connection. Once upon a time, the two of them were by each other's sides every minute of the day, but now Esme and Edward rarely saw each other. It broke Alice's heart to see her mother so upset by the separation of one of her children. But Esme was a kind-hearted soul, and she did not want to force Edward to come and see her if he didn't want to.

And it wasn't as if Esme did anything to upset him. Edward allowed his connection with everyone to dissipate merely because he didn't like the lifestyle they were all so used to. It was a sad sight to see, but Esme tried to move on for the best and distract herself with other things. When Holiday's came around, Esme would always be extra cheerful because she knew Edward would come and see them. Esme always had good days, but when she saw Edward, they were great days.

Yesterday, though, was a very bad day. Yesterday was July Fourth, and as always there was a tradition in the Cullen household to have a barbecue and watch fireworks in the field behind their large home. Edward usually came around for Fourth of July, but this time he didn't. Esme was very upset by his actions, but played it off that she was alright and continued on with the festivities, even when Alice caught her crying in the bathroom. Alice knew why Edward didn't make it, but Esme did not. Had she known, she wouldn't have felt so upset. But Alice zipped her lips through the whole day.

"I promise, he'll visit soon." Alice smirked and watched as the light in her mother's eyes came back. During this moment, Carlisle had come through the back door and was nearly tackled by his grandson.

"Hi, honey." Esme smiled, leaning in for a kiss when he got close enough.

"Hello, family." Carlisle set the newspaper and his briefcase onto the counter as he shrugged his blazer off and hung it over one of the kitchen chairs. "You're here very early." Carlisle mused as he kissed Rosalie's cheeks. "Couldn't wait to drop them off and get out of the country, huh?" He smiled, lifting his grandson into his arms.

"Well, I surely deserve a trip out. I swear, if I see any kind of floor plans in the next weekend, I will surely lose it." Rosalie huffed and Emmett smirked, latching onto his wife and pressing his lips to the back of her head.

"You deserved it, baby." He told her and she smirked, leaning her hand back to press against his bicep.

It was at this moment; Rosalie noticed the newspaper on the counter that Carlisle brought home. She reached for it and spread it open, sighing sadly at the cover. "They still haven't found this poor girl yet?"

Esme craned her neck to see what she was looking at.

"Unfortunately," Carlisle began dreadfully, "The word is, they are getting ready to end the investigation. They can't find any evidence on the kidnappers, and there hasn't been any trace of her yet. It's as if they all just disappeared."

Esme shuddered. "I can't even imagine what she's going through. What her parents are going through. I can't even contemplate it." Tears were rising in Esme's eyes; the thought of anyone kidnapping her family sent a shiver through her body.

"Poor girl." Emmett said softly against Rosalie's head as they all stared at the picture – everyone but Alice, who was very curious at what they were looking at.

"What's going on?" Alice asked, lifting herself from the stool to get a better look. Everyone then proceeded to look up at her; wide eye's swimming with disbelief.

"You haven't heard about the girl whose been kidnapped for ransom?" Rosalie balked, and Alice shook her head embarrassingly.

"No wonder, she never reads the news. What did you say? It was_ too_ _sad for your taste_?" Emmett challenged with a smirk and Alice just glared at him.

"It is sad! And apparently, this just proves my point! Here, lemme see this." Alice reached for the newspaper, and Rosalie moved forward, handing it to her.

And in that moment, had there been anything in Alice's mouth – water, tea, food, coffee, it would have surely gone all over her unsuspecting family. Alice's eyes had bugged out of her head, her mouth gaping so wide that she was surprised her jaw didn't come unhinged, and her hands began shaking.

"Alice? Sweetie?" Esme asked worriedly. "Are you okay?"

_Am I okay?_

Alice couldn't answer that. Not right now. Not when _this_ was sitting in front of her. But once her brain began recovering from the shock, she realized how guilty she looked sitting there with her stunned expression. She composed herself quickly, and stood from the stool as she handed Rosalie the newspaper, which she took it confusingly.

"Yeah, I'm good…" Alice lied serenely, "I think… I just…" She began mumbling, but finally composed herself. "I… Forgot my wallet at the store and I need to go get it…"

"And that picture reminded you of it because…?" Emmett said gruffly as everyone continued to stare at her like she had a second head growing out of her shoulder.

"Because… Just because! What's with the third degree burn?" Alice huffed nervously, grabbing her purse from the side just before kissing everyone goodbye.

The excuse was lame, and she knew that – but her train of thought was completely off track. She couldn't believe what she just saw – what just happened. Alice ran off to her car, and started it quickly just before nearly taking out the mailbox as she pressed down on the gas in reverse. She had one place to go – had two people to see, and knew they had a lot of explaining to do.

Xx

_**A day earlier…**_

Soft pale skin glinted in the rising sun, a woman's back completely bare and open for all to see – but the only person to see it, thankfully, was Edward. He lay on his side, staring at the beauty that was folded down in front of him. Isabella was still asleep, lying on her stomach with her cheek pressed to the pillow facing away from him. He didn't like that he couldn't see her face; but he wouldn't wake her up just to move her. So instead, he gazed down at her beautiful bare back that soaked in the sunlight from the window. His arm reached over, curving over her head on the pillow as his other hand began stroking up and down the lining of her spine.

Her back was warm from the sun, and her body rose ever so slightly from the touch of his finger tips. Edward grinned, leaning down to press a kiss to her shoulder. Her body already knew his so well, as his knew hers – they were attracted to each other, like magnets. His fingers lapsed back up her spine again, coming back down but this time, staying down. The white sheet covered just a little under her waist, exposing two dimples. Edward skimmed them both slightly, having the urge to lean down to kiss them. He stayed still though, feeling the body beneath his fingers begin to move.

Bella moaned softly, her head rising as it slowly turned towards him. He watched as her face was hidden by her long silky hair, forcing a smile to play on his lips. He reached forward, tucking her hair behind her ears to see her sleepy Angel-brown eyes. She brought her arms up, folding them on the pillow as she rested her head on it, smiling at her lover who began stroking up her back once again.

"Good morning." Edward whispered, leaning forward to press a kiss to her forehead. Bella unraveled her arms and scooted herself towards him, her front now bear as she wrapped her arms around his middle, pressing their chests together. Her head tucked under his chin, her fingers gently curling into his back as she closed her eyes.

"Good morning." She replied softly, leaning forward to press a kiss to his chest – just over his heart. Edward bent his head, kissing her hair as his free arm curled around her shoulders. "Do you have to leave today?" She asked softly, holding tighter onto him as if he were going to let go.

Edward leaned down, kissing her jaw and skimming up to her ear. "I don't think so. It's a holiday. And I'd rather be spending it with you then hanging around with them."

"It's a holiday?" Bella asked softly, looking up at him in confusion.

"July fourth." He told her, stroking the pieces of her hair that rested on her shoulder. "I usually go to my parents for a barbecue, but I wouldn't want to leave you here."

"No, you should go." Bella said with a nod. "Don't let me keep you from spending time with your family." She wouldn't be offended – she would be bored, no doubt, she didn't want him to choose her over his family. Edward ignored her comment and instead leaned forward with a smirk, pressing soft kisses to her jugular.

"With all due respect, Miss. Swan, I don't think I could leave you here by yourself. Especially when you don't have to be alone." He slurred against her skin, running his hands up and down her side. Bella couldn't help but smile, and even a giggle escaped from her when he gently bit down onto her shoulder. "They'll understand."

"If you're sure…" She murmured, squeezing his biceps. She didn't like the idea of keeping him from his family, but she couldn't force him to go. After all, she was confided into this apartment, it's not like she could drive him herself.

"I am very, _very_ sure." He chuckled against her lips. But once they pulled away, the playfulness of their moment had dissipated and a calm, serene breeze filled the air. Bella looked up at Edward, reaching forward and pushing back his copper hair that hung slightly over his eyebrows. He looked down at her with his dark emerald eyes; his fingers skimming up and down her spine, as his free hand lifted her face, tracing his pointer finger across her bottom lip. Her lips curved upward at the feel of his fingers against her lips. Edward grinned in response, dropping his fingers to lean forward and press his lips upon her own.

But even in an innocent kiss like this one, it began to escalade and Edward pried Bella's mouth open with his tongue, finding hers easily. Bella moaned softly into his mouth as she felt his tongue against hers. She reached up, holding onto his biceps as he began moving over her. In one swift shift, Edward was now above his lover, reaching his hand down to rest on her outer thigh. He stroked her skin with his thumb, moving in circles as he felt goosebumps begin to rise. Her arousal and excitement was evident and Edward's chest filled with pride.

As the two got closer, Edward's arm began to lean to find his bedside table to grab protection, a shift was felt on the bed and a dog's whine began to fill the room. Bella and Edward stopped kissing and the two turned their heads to see Russell, his head lying on the bed on the left side of them as he looked up at them with dark brown eyes, pleading for someone to give him attention.

"Aw." Bella giggled, reaching out and scratching behind his ear. "He wants to play."

"Baby, I don't think the type of game we were going to play can involve him." Edward smirked, leaning down to press a kiss to her jaw. "He probably needs to go out." Edward left her with another peck to the lips and stood from the bed. Bella couldn't help but watch his naked form step from the bed and retreat into the bathroom – her cheeks began to heat up and she was sure they changed colors as well. She smiled and sat up on the bed, clutching the sheet to her as she reached out and began petting Russell who undeniably loved the attention.

"You hungry, buddy?" Bella asked, scratching behind his pointy ears and around his neck. Russell began jumping at her words, knowing exactly what they meant. She stood from the bed and grabbed one of Edward's button down shirts, pulling it over her naked body and finding herself a pair of panties. She had an infinite amount of choices to choose from, and decided to go with the black laced boy shorts. She clicked her tongue for Russell to follow her and took herself out to the kitchen where she grabbed a can of dog food from the cabinet.

She opened it with the can opener and walked to the bowl where Russell sat eagerly but patiently next to it. She emptied the can into the bowl and stepped back, allowing Russell his food which he jumped to immediately when she was out of the way. Bella threw the can into the trash and walked to the sink and began washing her hands. As she rubbed her hands with soap underneath the faucet, a pair of warm hands touched her sides, forcing her to jump in surprise.

"Even with bags filled with new clothes, you still wear mine." He smirked against her skin, and Bella smiled, turning her head to press a kiss to his cheek.

"Is there a problem with that? I can go change." She smirked inwardly, drying her hands with the appropriate towel.

"No fucking way. You look hot in my shirts." He told her, as his hands continued to rub along her covered sides, and his lips pecking against the soft skin of the side of her neck.

"If you find me so attractive in your shirts, why did you make Alice buy me all those clothes?" She asked curiously, turning in his arms as hers went around his neck. She noticed he was wearing his work out shorts, nothing else – and in this current state – it was very hard for Bella to resist him. He leaned forward, pressing his lips against her nose and forcing her to grin as her fingers began knitting in the back of his hair.

"You may have been clothed, but _I _was running out of things to wear." He smirked inwardly, leaning forward and pecking at her lips. "I do like you in my shirts though. It's like I'm… Marking my territory."

Bella narrowed her eyes at him and huffed. "You have no competition whatsoever." She turned back around, folding the towel appropriately and setting it to the side. Edward pressed himself against her, her stomach pressing against counter as she felt all of him. She lost her breath, his fingers trailing up the side of her leg and dipping underneath the shirt to feel the lace underwear.

"_Fuck_." Edward muttered and Bella couldn't help but smirk. "You are so tempting, and you don't even know it. Do you?" He asked, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to the back of her head. Bella bit down onto her lip, her hands wrapping around his wrist as she turned back to face him. One arm wrapped around his neck as the other trailed down his bare, muscled chest.

"You're not so bad yourself, Romeo." She teased, her fingers circling around his abs and down to his navel. Once passed, her fingernail skimmed along the edge of his shorts that hung dangerously low on his lips. Bella lifted herself on the tips of her toes, pressing a kiss to his Adam's apple just before her fingers scrapped back up his side, his evident arousal pressing against her thigh. "You gotta take Russell out."

"No." He growled, clutching her hips.

"You're going to be very, _very_, upset when he ends up having an accident in the house. And you will have no one to blame but yourself." She told him, pulling away from him as she grabbed the leash off of the hook near the door. She called Russell over who happily obliged, now finished inhaling his breakfast. She knelt down and hooked the leash onto his collar just before lifting herself up and stepped towards Edward whose eyes hungrily took her in. "I'd take him out myself, but I'm sort of confined in this place."

"You are an evil little woman." Edward told her, grabbing the leash and adjusting himself in his shorts. "And you know exactly what you're doing."

"Of course I do." She smiled innocently just before crossing her arms over her chest.

"Well, while I'm out, I'm going to grab some things for tonight." He said, reaching for his water bottle and IPod that lay on the counter.

"Tonight?" She asked curiously.

"I told you. It's Fourth of July. What's Fourth of July without a cookout?" He asked, smirking inwardly and reaching for his Nike bag that he slid onto his arms.

"We're having a cookout?" Bella asked, a small smile playing on her lips. "Just you and me?" It was something new to Bella. Of course, she had cookouts before. But cookouts at Phil's home were anything but ordinary. Hundreds of people would show, half of which Bella had never even met before, and there was never really any cookouts. Phil called it cookouts, Bella assumed so he could sound customary, but really the cookouts were just gourmet chefs. It was never _normal_. It was never normal since her and Renee lived with Charlie. But here, tonight, Bella would have a normal cookout with just her Edward, this sent tingles through her body with anticipation.

"Just you and me, babe." Edward replied with a smile and leaned forward to press a kiss to her forehead. "On the rooftop with my grill and the fireworks over Lake Union."

"And I get fireworks?" Bella asked sarcastically. "Well you're just trying all sorts to impress me."

"Well when I go out, I go all out." Edward smirked, wiggling his eyebrows. Bella giggled, pressing against his chest as he got closer. He did though receive an innocent kiss just before pulling himself away with the leash in his hand and stepping out of the apartment, leaving Bella to fend for herself for the time being.

While Edward was away, Bella decided to shower and get ready for the day that Edward had planned for them. A few hours later, Edward returned home, setting a bag in the fridge and saying his hello to Bella with a kiss just before getting into the shower. After he finished, the two of them laid around for awhile just before Edward had told Bella to start getting ready and to dress warmly for the weather may turn a bit chilly during the evening.

Bella was able to find a pair of jeans and a gray sweater that Alice had bought for her. She reached for a jacket as well, pulling off the tag as she slid it over her sweater. Once finished getting ready, Bella pulled on her converses and then stepped out into the sitting area, where Edward was dressed in black jeans, a white t-shirt and a leather jacket, pulling out a bag from the fridge. Bella smiled at how normal this seems – the two of them getting ready to have a barbecue together on the rooftop. It was so normal, that Bella had nearly forgotten that about a month ago, this man held her captive against her own will.

The thought left as quickly as it came and Bella moved quietly towards Edward just before grabbing his pocket on his jacket and tugging it gently.

"Need any help?" She asked, looking up to see him smiling down at her.

"What kind of host would I be if I made you help me?" Edward asked, smirking as he leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead.

"A practical one." Bella breathed, forcing a chuckle from Edward.

"Yeah, well, tonight you aren't doing shit except enjoying time with me. I'll expect no help what so ever." He told her pointedly just before grabbing her waist and pushing her towards the door. "And that is an order, Miss. Swan."

"Yes sir." She smirked inwardly, leaning up to press a kiss to his jaw.

Edward held a bag in one hand, and Bella's hand in the other as he opened the door, sticking his head out to see that no one was in the hallway. He urged her forward, locking the door behind him as he then led her down the hallway and to the door at the end of it. He pushed the door open with a twist of the knob and led her up the dark staircase up until they reached another door. Having unlocked it earlier, Edward opened the door and stepped over the small step, helping Bella over. Once both up, Edward closed the door and Bella's eyes nearly gaped as she stifled a gasp, looking out to the view from the rooftop Edward had brought her to.

The sun was setting just North West of the lake, setting the water sparkling with blue and orange rays. Bella took in a deep breath of fresh air, something she hadn't experienced in awhile as she felt the wind brush through her hair. It was such a small thing, something people took for granted – but Bella relished in it. She then felt a nudge on her shoulder, and she turned to see Edward handing her a beer.

"You like it?" He asked, obviously trying his hardest to impress her. But Edward didn't need to impress her – she was already there.

She turned to the man she was utterly in love with and tried to fight back her tears – tried to hold in her emotions because she didn't want to fall apart in front of him. "I love it." She merely said in a whisper, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him in for a kiss.

Edward smiled, his chest swelling with pride. He knew he did right tonight.

After a slow thank you kiss, Edward began firing up the grill. Bella stood by his side, occasionally wrapping her arms around his waist while he was setting the hotdogs onto the grill and flipping them over occasionally. Bella watched as he took care of her, made her food and grabbing blankets out of his bag, setting them on the chairs that he had already had up here from his times visiting the rooftop alone.

Once the hotdogs were done, the two of them began putting them together, and after a very extreme mustard fiasco which ended up spilling on Edward's leather jacket, the two of them sat in the chairs, watching as the sun began to set.

"Shit," Edward laughed as Bella turned to him, seeing him laughing straight at her.

"What is it?" She asked, setting her fingers onto her face, worried that something may be smeared on her. Edward leaned forward, wiping away the mustard on her cheek. He pulled away, grabbing a napkin and smearing it onto it before turning back to his original position. "You know, that's not my fault." She said, nodding to the napkin. "If you were smart about opening mustard…"

"I had no idea it was going to explode like that!" Edward told her, watching as she rolled her eyes playfully. "Clearly, mustard is a bit premature."

"You would say something like that." Bella sneered, forcing Edward to let out a loud laugh. The sound of it was amazing to Bella, sending chills down her spine. At this time, the moon was beginning to rise and the last lining of orange from the sun settling down behind the lake. "I'm sorry I stole you away from your family." She told him, turning her head to see him already staring at her.

"Don't be sorry. I chose not to go." He said, taking a sip of his beer.

"I know, but still…" Bella began with a shrug. "You probably should have at least stopped by, you know? So I don't feel so guilty about it."

Edward looked over to Bella to see that she clearly felt bad for keeping him here – she didn't seem to understand that she offered him to go but he declined. Sure, she was the reason he didn't go, but she didn't force him to stay. He stayed on his own. Edward grabbed Bella's chair, easily swinging it closer to his as his arm wrapped around her shoulder.

"Can I tell you something?" Edward asked softly, prompting Bella to nod her head. "Don't get me wrong, I love my family. They took care of me, loved me, helped me and so on. But one thing that they haven't done…" Edward paused, rubbing his hand against her shoulder, "They don't get me. Not like you do." He whispered, pressing a kiss to her temple. "My family has all the money at their fingertips. Don't get me wrong, they don't show it off – their not snobs or any shit like that… I just… I hate going there, to see them all succeeding when I have clearly failed."

Bella looked over at Edward, seeing him staring off in the distance. He shifted uncomfortably before taking a sip of his beer. "I know I told you that my siblings beg off my parents, but that wasn't entirely true. Alice still does from time to time, but she has a stable job. So does my brother, Emmett, and his wife. And I just… I'm the black sheep. That's it. I can't draw like Alice and can't keep up with stocks like Emmett. The only things I'm good at are the illegal kind."

"But it wouldn't have led you to me." Bella said quickly, reaching for his hand and gripping it tightly. "This wouldn't have happened if you weren't good at that. And that's no excuse for making what you did ethical, but somewhere along the way you must have done something right. Because if you didn't, we wouldn't be here right now." Edward didn't say anything and Bella could see the wary in his eyes.

_He felt guilty_.

"Edward…" Bella began softly, reaching for his face. "I know you regret how we met but… What if it didn't happen?"

"Then you'd be living your life back in Phoenix. Not a care in the world." He said gruffly. Bella's eyes widened slightly at his words. Did he really feel that bad about this? About what happened?

"How can you say that?" She whispered softly, "Before you, my life was… _Shit_." Bella grounded out and Edward only chuckled humorlessly. "You know, we aren't as different as you think. I was thrown in the same lifestyle you were. I hate it. I hate everything about it. I hate that Phil can blow money with no care in the world, and spend it on useless things that really don't matter instead of giving it to charity or, _hell_, I don't know, building a school for kids in Africa or Haiti. Instead he spends it on horse racing and his oil company."

At this time, Edward turned to look at Bella who stared at the water, her arms pulled away from him to cross over her chest.

"Everything he did was out of selfishness. To provide himself, and only himself. He did nothing out of the kind of his heart. And I had to deal with that. Deal with the stupid lifestyle my mother decided to put me in, to deal with those parties and those galas and balls and track openings and everything I neither had nor wanted anything to do with." Bella stopped to take a deep breath, allowing herself to relax. "Before you, my life was nothing." Bella turned to look at him. "And that's why I don't regret what happened. Because after I met you, everything changed. And for once in my life I felt like I belong somewhere. Despite where it was. If I was with you, then I felt wanted. And I don't regret that one bit. And you shouldn't either."

It was in that moment that Edward's heart nearly busted with the emotions he felt for this girl. Here she was, trying to prove to him that what happened shouldn't be a regret – when really he could never regret it in the first place. Sure, he wished they could have met on different terms, but the fact they met always made him hopeful and despite how they met and the regret he felt for it, he knew what was in store for the future. And his future would revolve solely around Bella – he had already decided that.

"You know, you're pretty fucking amazing." Edward told her, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to her temple. "You know how to put me in my place. And I like that."

"Well, someone has to do it." Bella said playfully, feeling as Edward reached next to her, grabbing the blanket and wrapping it around her body.

"And I'm glad it's you." He told her, just before grabbing her chin and pulling her face back towards his. "Just so you know, Isabella, I don't regret meeting you. I hate how we met, but I wouldn't trade it in for the world. And that may be very fucking highly selfish of me, but it's true."

"If you consider that selfish, then so am I. Because I don't regret it either. But you already know that." She breathed against his lips, watching as he smirked, nodding his head as he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her lips. He pulled away, just before stroking his fingers down the side of her face.

"You're pretty fucking amazing, you know." He smirked inwardly, leaning forward and pressing soft kisses to her chin. "I don't know what I did to deserve you."

"Well you didn't have to do much." Bella told him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "You had me the moment I met you." She said, and Edward pulled away, raising a brow and looking at her with a dubious look. "Okay, maybe not when we first met." She grinned, blushing. "I kind of hated you at first." She said, causing Edward to laugh breathlessly. "But, I think you had me when you took me to call my parents. No, that's _definitely_ when you had me."

"Yeah?" Edward asked, pulling away to look at her.

"Mhm. I thought if someone was going to risk their life just so I could make one phone call, they must be worth keeping around." Bella stroked her fingers through Edward's hair, taking in a deep breath as their gaze lingered for a few seconds. Edward didn't say anything, and instead leaned forward and pressed his lips against kiss was soft, but behind it the intensity was brewing – and it would have built up, but a loud boom had echoed across the city, and both Edward and Bella looked up to see the fireworks begin to shoot off.

The fireworks were large and bright, the colors lighting up the water beneath them that sparkled and glowed with every one the lit up the night sky. Edward turned to look over at Bella, but noticed she was paying absolutely no attention to him. Her eyes were attached to the sky, different colors washing over her pale face as her silky hair flowed down one side of her shoulder. Her eyes sparkled every time a new firework burst in the sky, and she acted as if she had never seen one before.

Edward felt his heart beating rapidly, and he cursed himself for being so weak when it came to her. Bella's mouth gaped as a large blue firework flew and opened in the sky, and Edward watched in fascination, not giving the firework display a care in the world. And then, abruptly, Bella turned to see two green eyes staring right at her, and had it been anyone else, she would have felt uncomfortable – but not with Edward.

"What?" She whispered softly, ignoring the loud booms of more fireworks. Edward just stared at her, shaking his head as he overlooked her beautiful features. Everything about her, he thought, was flawless. She was perfect.

"You're beautiful." He told her, and an immediate blush appeared underneath the skin of her cheeks. Edward smiled in response, reaching forward as his fingers caressed the side of her face. Bella was frozen in spot, but felt relaxed immediately at the feel of his hands.

And it took less than seconds for the two to attract to each other. Edward's lips were immediately on Bella's, gently at first but the kiss turned heated, and hands began finding ways underneath clothes, hisses escaping from the kiss at the feel of cold skin against cold skin.

"Do you…" Edward paused, kissing her once more as Bella was nearly on his lap. "Don't you want to stay…"

"No." Bella said immediately, cutting him off with a kiss as she grabbed his jacket and unzipped it. Both sat up at the same time, and attempted to find their way towards the door, forgetting their mess up on the roof. On the way back to the apartment, both had tripped multiple times, trying to find their steps whilst kissing. But both had made it back to the front door without any harm or broken bones. Edward began unlocking the door, trying to twist his key in but was highly distracted by Bella's lips against his jaw line.

He pulled away to find her own in his own attempt to calm her, but once the door was unlocked Edward's lips were hard against Bella's. The kiss was rushed but she could feel the meaning behind it – she could feel everything he was trying to tell her in this one kiss. The two sloppily fell into the room once the door opened and Russell was up in an instant, but when he realized it was just them, the dog trotted back to his bed in the bedroom. Bella reached up once Edward closed the door, wrapping her arms around his neck to pull him back for the kiss. Edward obliged happily, opening his mouth to feel her tongue against his own.

Bella moaned against him, her arms slipping to his waist as she tugged on his shirt. Edward lifted his arms as Bella peeled off his shirt. The two stepped back into the sitting area where Bella pressed two fingers against his chest to push him back. Edward fell with an _umpf_ releasing from his mouth. Bella leaned down, pressing kisses along his jaw as her fingers hooked into his loose jeans and underneath his boxers. Edward moaned softly against the skin of her neck, lifting his hips to help her pull off his clothes, leaving him there completely bare. Bella grinned just before standing up and walking away from him. Edward whimpered in the loss of contact with her, but she covered his lips with one finger, silencing as she disappeared into the bedroom.

Edward waited for a few minutes, his body fired up and electricity brewing underneath his skin. He figured she was just getting protection, but once she returned, Edward nearly convulsed on spot. Standing in front of him, Bella was adorned in her little black laced panties along with a matching bra. Tucked in beneath her panties, just over her hip bone was a condom. Her pale body glowed underneath the dark attire she was wearing, making her look silky and smooth. And for the first time _ever_ Edward was silently thanking his sister and her addiction to shopping.

"Shit, _Bella_…" Edward began, but Bella shushed him as she inched closer. Finally her knee came up, setting itself on the side of his thigh, and then other until she was straddling him, his engorged member pressing against her bare stomach. Bella looked up into Edward's eyes, her hands running up to his shoulders, her eyes glancing down to his chest as she could feel him staring at her.

"Will you do me a favor?" Bella asked softly, looking back up to him. Edward nodded his head, his hands coming out to grip her waist, running them up and down her smooth skin.

"_Anything_." He breathed.

Bella paused for a moment, gulping as her hands went down his biceps, pulling around and holding his arms closer to her. She flickered her gaze back up into his, and beneath her eyes Edward could see the passion she held, just for him. It set his body alive and he inched his self to be closer to her.

"Will you tell me again?" She whispered as her fingers trailed down the side of his face and he knew exactly what she was talking about. A smile began to form on Edward's lips, and Bella picked up on it immediately. He stroked her back, leaning forward to leave kisses across her face. Her nose, her eyelids, her neck, and finally one simple kiss to her lips.

"I love you." He told her, his voice smooth and certain – with such clarity that Bella just couldn't doubt it. A smile began forming onto her lips, her fingers inching down his chest as his hands gripped her hips tighter, pulling her closer to him. As Bella's fingers ran down his skin, she felt the electricity moving between their skin – bouncing from each other and growing within each second they were in contact.

"This is…crazy." She breathed with a soft laugh, losing her train of thought as her heart began beating rapidly – all for him.

"It is." Edward agreed before leaning forward and pressing a kiss to her chin. "But I can't fucking fight this. I don't want to."

"I don't want to either." She told him, looking up into his eyes. The jaded color bore into her soul, consuming her completely. "I've never…" She began but Edward cut her off with a kiss.

"Me either." He replied against her lips. The two had never fallen in love before – never mind the fact that they had never fallen so hard so fast. They should have been scared; most people would be, feeling these things so fast like an oncoming freight train. They weren't afraid. It was something in their eyes – something that they felt between each other that they both knew that there was no reason to be fearful. If it wasn't suppose to happen, they wouldn't be feeling this way. So instead of questioning it like most people would, they went along with it.

Bella ran her hands up his chest, past his pectorals and then rounding around his shoulders and up his neck, into his hair. Her dark eyes that were hooded with the mixture of emotions looked up into his, and while this long gaze lasted, rain began pelting the rooftops, thunder rolling in from the distance and the sounds of fireworks ceased due to the oncoming storm. All the while, Bella and Edward didn't even notice – couldn't even fathom or even care what was happening.

Right now, it was only them.

"I love you, too." She finally breathed in response to his earlier declaration. Edward only smiled, his body leaning forward as his lips sought her neck. She could feel his love through his kisses, feeling it pass from his lips and embedding into her skin. She closed her eyes, tilting her head back as she reached for the back of her bra, only to be stopped by Edward's hands that did the deed for her. Slowly, the fabric slid off her skin and Edward paid much attention to the now freed mounds of flesh in front of him.

"I don't ever want to be apart from you." He murmured against the skin of her shoulder, pushing back her long locks of hair. Bella tilted her head back, the mixture of feelings of his hands on her breasts and his lips on her shoulders, sending her into a slight frenzy of need.

"Then don't let me go." She whispered, clutching her arm behind his neck and pulling him closer to her until his hands were dropped and their bare chests were pushed together.

"_Never_." Edward nearly growled and reached for the condom that still lay perfectly beneath her panties. He pulled it out, tearing it open and sheathing it over his very hard erection. "Stand up, baby." He nudged her gently, helping her climb off his lap so he could gingerly slip his fingers on the side of her panties and slid them down her smooth legs. Once off, Edward wrapped arm around her, his large hand splaying across her lower back as he leaned forward, pressing a kiss just above her navel as she stood before him.

Very slowly Bella climbed onto his lap once again, her arms wrapping around his neck as his hands lifted up and around her small waist, pulling her closer. Their lips were like magnets, both sought out for each other and once found they were drowned in a passionate kiss, lips moving frantically as tongues rubbed against one another, hands skimming soft skin as moans began to fill the room. Bella reached down, grabbing a hold of the bulge that sat upright against her stomach just before lifting herself up and positioning herself over him.

And gradually Edward began to fill her, forcing a soft mewl to produce from her mouth. Edward groaned at the feeling of her over him, her walls contracting and squeezing, leaving him breathless and out of words. He reached up, his hands knotting through her hair as the two began pushing and pulling. Bella's fingernails began pressuring themselves into Edward's skin, but he didn't seem to notice – too overcome with the pleasure that was overlapping his whole body, sending sparks flying.

The rain grew harder and the two lovers became louder in their escapade, bodies now forming beads of sweat as their movements became more frantic. Edward cursed under his breath, the feeling of his Isabella far greater than anything he had ever felt before. He looked up at her through hooded eyes, seeing her body riding him, her head thrown back as her hair splayed and stuck to her wet body. In that moment, she was far more beautiful than usual. He didn't know how it was possible – but it was.

Edward reached for her, his hand behind her neck as he pulled her to him, their lips barely grazing just before he whispered, "I love you. _So much_." Their breath mixing together as Bella moaned loudly, freezing as her body rolled into a pleasurable spasm, leaving her breathless, and Edward tumbling just after her.

Xx

The two lovers slept peacefully in a naked embrace, Edward's lips against the back of Bella's head as his arms encircled her waist, hugging her close. This peaceful sleep, though, was ruined by a very loud and very angry knock on the door. Russell jumped up immediately, running out of the bedroom and started to bark at the front door, teeth bared and ears back. Edward and Bella woke up immediately at the noises. The knocking became even more frantic, and fear instilled in Edward.

_How did they find me? _

It was his first thought. No one could possibly be on the other side of that door, knocking so angrily. Bella looked over to Edward in panic and Edward quickly stood up, grabbing his boxers and sweat pants.

"Get up! Get dressed!" Edward hissed in a whisper as the knockings became even louder, Russell's barking now mixed in with growling. Bella watched in pure horror as Edward reached underneath his mattress, pulling out a gun sliding it in the waistband of his sweatpants behind him. She knew now, that this was serious. She stood up, her body shaking as tears began to form in her eyes. She found the sweater she wore last night and a pair of pants as she frantically tried to button them up. Edward looked over to her, seeing the tears rolling down her cheeks as her shaky hands attempted to button her jeans. He didn't have time to comfort her, the knocking growing more rapid, but he'd be damned if this was how they were going to last see each other.

He quickly walked up to her, grabbing her shaky form as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "It's going to be okay." He murmured, grabbing her hand and taking her to his closet. He slid the door open, putting her into the corner. "Stay here, okay? I'll go deal with this."

"Edward, what if…" She began, but Edward cut her silence with a kiss. He could taste her tears that had fallen over her lips, and he immediately felt guilty, for obviously not being so careful.

"It'll be okay. Just stay here. Do not get out. _No matter what_." He said sternly, gazing into her watery eyes.

"But what if…"

"No matter what, Bella. _Stay here_." He nearly growled and Bella took the hint, nodding her head. He leaned forward again, pressing his lips to hers. Once he pulled away, he had every intention to tell her that he loved her, but the knocking had become so thunderous, he was sure the door would be broken down at any minute. So instead he opted into taking one last glance at her, pouring every bit of emotions he had for her in that certain look. Bella understood, nodding weakly just before her form was disappeared when he closed the door.

He cautiously walked to the door, reaching behind him and for his gun. He snapped at Russell who quieted, but stayed on guard.

"Edward Anthony! I know you are in there! Open this fucking door! Right now!" The familiar voice growled, and Edward's eyebrows rose in confusion.

"Alice?" He whispered, unlocking the many locks he had on his front door just before cracking it open to see his sister standing there – flustered and angry, her hands red from nearly beating down the door. "What the fuck is your problem, Alice?" He growled, the door opening widely as she stepped in, her eyes narrowing straight at her brother. "You can't just fucking do that! You scared the shit out of us! What the fuck were you thinking?" The amount of vulgar vocabulary he was using just fused Alice even more, but he couldn't care, not right now, not when she had pissed him off.

"Do you want to explain this to me?" Alice asked, pulling out a rolled up newspaper from her pocket and handing it to him. Edward was getting ready to say something but Alice had beaten him to it, "And don't you even think about lying to me! I want the truth! I want it now!" At this time, as Edward rolled the newspaper open, Bella had stepped out of the closet, hearing Alice's voice and knowing it was safe.

Edward's mouth went dry, his eyes gaping because staring right back at him was a picture of Bella, on the front cover of the newspaper. He knew they didn't have much time until Alice put two and two together, but he didn't know it would have been so soon. Like he said, Alice never watched nor read the news.

Bella stood in the doorway of the bedroom, and Edward looked up at her, his face contorted into sadness, worry, and even a little bit of anger. Not towards Bella, but towards his sister. Bella could see his emotions, and tears began slipping from the corners of her eyes. She knew they were caught.

"I want answers." Alice said quietly, looking between the two of them. "And I am not leaving until I get them."

* * *

**** Please Read****

**Author's Note; Oh, Alice. How you always know how to ruin things when everything is going perfect. Sorry for this cliffy, but this chapter is already long enough as it is.**

**Shout-out to my beta, Lauren! Thanks for getting this to me so quickly, you forever own me.  
****And thanks to you guys of course.**

****Please Read****

**So for those who reviewed last chapter, you received a review reply. For those of you who didn't review last chapter, a review reply is basically me replying to your review, thanking you for review.**

**Also attached the review reply is a long teaser to the next chapter.**

**So yes, if you review, I will reply to you and you will get a teaser to the next chapter. The teasers are pretty lengthy. The review replies will take a few days for me to return, but you will get them within 1-4 days of posting your review.**

**This is just my way of saying thank you to you guys for reviewing and giving you a little gift.**

**So now when you review, we both get a little something, and that's already great.**

**This goes as well with my other story.**

**So please review, and I'll send you a review reply plus a sneak peak to the next chapter as soon as possible.**

**Thanks so much you guys.  
****Your fucking awesome, like always.**

**xoxo  
****shelby**


	19. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

A long time ago, a man by the name of Napoleon Hill once said that "Fears are nothing but a state of mind." In some cases, he may have been right. When a child is sleeping in bed and is awoken to a shadow on the wall, the mind instills the fear that there may be a monster lurking underneath his bed, but in reality that monster is just his coat hung over his chair and it's shadows have casted different images on the walls.

Or if someone has a fear of water and hangs to the side of the pool for dear life, just in case the water decides to engulf them completely, even know they know they are completely safe. Fear in itself is its own person, your own conscience that tells you when something could possibly be dangerous to you. It essentially protects you but at the same time, keeps you from learning things on your own as well. Everyone has some sort of fear – some kind of hidden terror that chills them to even think about it.

But, Edward Cullen didn't fear anything.

He'd had a gun pointed at him multiple times over the course of his life, nearly drowned when he was a little boy, and almost died in a fire he started in his parent's old garage. Edward had even teetered on the very line between life and death itself when he overdosed on his extreme use of cocaine resulting in a hospital stay for nearly four weeks and with only little hope he'd make it out alive.

During all those times he had never once feared for his life. Even as a little boy, Edward knew if he died it would have been his time to die. He knew that the bullet would kill him, the water would drown him, the fire would burn him and the cocaine would ease him into a death and he could not control it one bit. It's something he realized a long time ago, something he came to terms with that most people can't even fathom in all of their years of existing.

Though nearly nothing scared him, made him fear for everything he worked for, this one thing – this one moment where deep hazel eyes were boring into his jaded ones, growling for answers and threatening to go to the police instilled the greatest fear he could ever fathom.

That fear would be losing his Isabella.

His sister was no threat, if maybe he could weasel his way out of this, make something up, they would be safe. But he looked to Bella, who pleaded with her eyes for him to just come clean. There was no way weaseling out of this, how could they? There, Alice had a newspaper claiming that Isabella Marie Swan was kidnapped and held hostage for ransom, even though she was standing five feet away from her.

Lying would get them nowhere instead of deeper into the hole they were digging.

But the truth, the truth could be just as bad. Alice could shun her brother; tell him that she was going straight to the police for his involvement with the Volturi and that would potentially lead Edward to jail and Bella away from him where they would have no chance of ever being with each other again. That struck a chord inside of Edward, he slowly gripped his hair, the newspaper falling in the process as he tried to fathom what to say to his sister who demanded answers.

"Edward!" Her voice finally shrieked. "I'm not going to ask you two again! What the hell is going on?"

Edward didn't say anything, instead looked to Bella who wiped at her falling tears. She hated crying, especially in front of others but she couldn't help it. She knew what would happen as well – this could either go wrong or _very_ wrong. And she realized that this may be the last time she ever sees Edward. There was no lie to get out of this, but the truth may not set them free.

They were stuck right in the middle.

Bella looked up from the ground, catching the last falling tear before she connected her eyes with Edward's. He looked at her hopelessly, longingly, and there was even a hint of an apology. She wanted to go to him, kiss him, and tell him that they would be alright but she couldn't even do that.

"Are you two…" Alice began, forcing Edward and Bella to look away and at her. "Are you two setting this up… To get money? Is that what this is? Is this some kind of fucking plan for you two to get rich?"

"_What_?" Bella screeched instantly, startling both Edward and Alice. "You think I'd do this? To my family? To my friends? To everyone I love?" During this time, Bella had walked into the center of the room, all three of them facing each other. Bella's sadness was now clouded with anger – she couldn't even fathom wanting to do such a thing to her loved ones. She never wanted to bring them pain.

"Bella, I don't know half the shit that's going on right now!" Alice shrieked, "You two aren't talking, so I'm trying to put the puzzle together! I'm trying to figure this all out! As to why my brother's new girlfriend has showed up missing in the paper, and if I read it correctly, has been missing for nearly two months! _Two months_!" She hissed.

"Alice," Edward began with a growl, "It's very important that you try _not_ to figure this out."

"Oh, okay." Alice forged a sweet smile. "Let me just pretend that this didn't happen, that this morning, I didn't cross the whole damn family who told me about this. Let's all just forget this even happened and continue to live our lives." Alice's sarcastic tone was not appreciated by neither Edward nor Bella. "I don't know about you, but that just sounds fucking peachy! Let's just forget that you," She pointed at Bella, "Are missing from society and being searched by the whole goddamn state! Yes, that seems like a perfect plan!"

"Alice!" Edward finally snarled, forcing both his sister and his lover to freeze in fear. "Maybe this is just one of those things where you need to keep your nose out of other people's goddamn business!"

"Oh, that's a good one Edward. Very nice. Very smart." Alice chuckled, grabbing the newspaper from the floor. "You think I can just forget about this?" She yelled, thrusting the paper at him. "You think I can just keep my nose out of this?" Edward didn't reply, and instead just rubbed his temples as he groaned inwardly, trying to figure out what to tell his sister.

"Alice, just please…" Bella began pleading, it being her last resort. "Please, just let it go."

"You two are unbelievable." Alice laughed, shaking her head. "Un-_fucking_-believable."

"Un-fucking-believable?" Edward growled, "You wanna know what's un-fucking-believable? You! You are so busy trying to pry yourself in other's business and other people's lives, because you don't fucking have one! Because all you do is spend mom and dad's money on useless shit just to make yourself feel better!" Edward was raging with anger, and Bella wanted to touch him, wield him to calm down, but she figured that it was best that she stayed hidden, just incase his anger turned on her. She knew he wouldn't do anything – he wouldn't lay a finger on her, but he was letting it all out. Best he does it now behind closed doors. "And for fucking once, I'm finally happy and you come in here and want to fucking ruin it?"

"Ruin it? Edward you're clearly ruining it yourself! What did you do? Did you kidnap her? Did he kidnap you Bella? Is this what it was?" She asked, charging towards Bella but was stopped when Edward protectively stepped in front of her. Alice knew that Edward wouldn't kidnap someone, especially an innocent girl, but she was so angry the words just came tumbling out.

She would never believe her brother would kidnap someone… Up until both Edward and Bella went silent, not answering her question. Alice gaped in horror, tears flowing in her eyes instantaneously as her fingers went over her lips.

"Oh, God." Alice cried, shaking her head. "You… You kidnapped her? This," She screeched, point at the paper, "This is _your_ doing?"

"Alice…" Edward began.

"Oh God! What are mom and dad going to say? Emmett? Oh my god! You're going to go to jail! Edward, why? Why did you do this?"

"Alice, please… Just let me explain." Edward started again, but Alice began to cry hysterically. Edward turned to Bella who watched Alice fall to the chair, wiping her tears as she tried to comprehend why her brother did what he did. For a moment, Bella started to feel bad for Alice. She was just now finding Edward's skeletons in his closet, and that's never an easy thing to do. Seeing someone one way your whole life, and figuring out that they are someone entirely different. Bella didn't have any siblings, but she could only imagine.

Edward didn't know what to do instead pace back and fourth. The secret was out. And though they needed to clearly explain to Alice what happened, Edward still was worried, was still slowly breaking for what may come. Bella began towards Alice, but Edward stopped her, grabbing her wrist and pulling her close to him. Bella was stunned for a moment, feeling his bare chest against her covered one, but she wrapped her arms around his shoulders to calm him, feeling how tense he was against her.

And while Alice stroked back her tears, she looked to see her brother embracing Bella. Alice was confused – quite frankly, everything in this moment was confusing her._ If Edward kidnapped Bella, why are they so intimate_? Alice watched as Edward kissed the side of Bella's head, holding her so tightly that she feared that Bella would lose breathing, but she never did. Bella's heart continued to beat, just in sync with Edward's.

"I love you." Edward whispered into her hair. "Remember that, okay? No matter what happens after this, after we tell her the truth." He murmured, feeling as Bella clutched onto him, nodding. "Tell me you understand. Tell me that you know that I love you. _Fuck_, I need you to know."

"I know." Bella nodded, pressing her face into the crook of his neck. "I love you too, Edward. _So much_."

"I know." He replied with a soft breath, kissing her forehead before pulling away, grabbing her hand and pulling it up to his lips just before gently dropping it and turning to his sister. "Okay, Alice. We are going to tell you everything."

"Everything?" Alice asked softly.

"Everything." Bella breathed with a nod.

Alice looked wary, not knowing if she wanted to hear this – but she knew she had to. So she watched Edward sit down onto the couch diagonal from her, rubbing his face as Bella sat on the arm of the couch next to him, staring down at the ground. She rubbed her arms, the silence in the air thick and heavy with silent secrets that were soon enough going to be revealed.

"I don't even know where to fucking start this shit." Edward growled, leaning back against the couch. He couldn't find the words to begin this conversation – he even wished Bella would just take this from him, would explain their situation, but not even Bella could speak. This had to be Edward. He was the kidnapper in Alice's eyes; he needed to wipe his slate clean, even if it was forever stained.

And so Edward began where everyone began for stories – the beginning. He explained to Alice his addiction to the thrill of a rush, leaving out the fact that the addiction to adrenaline was replacing his long few years of his addiction to cocaine to spare her and Bella's ears. The only person who knew what he went through was Carlisle and he would like to keep it that way.

Edward's started began molding into how he became involved with the Volturi, how he robbed the homes, banks, jewelry stores and how he soon found out of Bella's arrival. Some of this information was new to Bella as well, and she sat next to Edward on the arm of the couch, her chin resting in the palm of her hand as she listened intently.

Edward told Alice about the plan, the kidnapping, the notes to Bella's father, how Bella's friend Bree became involved and her unfortunate ending. Bella froze at the sound of Bree's story, and Edward reached over, rubbing her knee gently but Bella stayed frozen, sadness etching in her features. Edward told Alice about how close he and Bella became, how every time he saw her trapped in the room, his guilt consumed him even more.

He began speaking of how he started to fall in love with her, taking her to call her parents in Oregon and how he swore to himself he would help her out. His story turned into her escape, their plan that amazingly succeeded. He told Alice he brought Bella here, safe and sound and prepared to let her go once she woke, but how she didn't want to leave him yet.

He spoke of why Bella was stuck in here, why she needed the clothing and the toiletries. At the time, Alice was confused why Edward asked her for these certain things, but now it all made sense. And the last part of his story was where they were now, how hard this is for him to tell her this because he feels like he has failed her and his family, but how she couldn't breathe a word of this – not to anyone.

"Bella…" Alice began, completely ignoring Edward's pleas for her to keep quiet. Bella looked up to Alice, wide eyed and nervous as she chewed on her lip. "You need to go home. Your family is looking for you."

"I will." Bella nodded, sucking in a deep breath. "I just… I can't. Not yet."

"You… Can't?" Alice asked, slightly stunned.

"Alice, _please_." Edward groaned, getting ready to defend their case but his cell phone began to ring. He growled deeply in his throat in anger, whipping out his cell phone and setting it to his ear. "Sir." Edward breathed, and Bella felt a chill of fear running down her spine – knowing exactly who was on that other line. "Yes, sir." Edward said, noticing Bella's frigid posture. He reached over, rubbing her leg to comfort her and for a moment Alice looked away, feeling like she was intruding on an intimate moment. "I know, sir. I'll be right there." Edward hung up his phone, sliding it back into his pocket as he stood from the couch. "I need to leave." He announced just before sliding his hands up and down his face once again as he looked to his sister. "You take everything I just gave you, and you don't breathe a word of it. Understood?"

"Edward…" Alice began unsurely.

"Understood?" His voice was mixed with a snarl. He didn't want to be firm with her, but he wasn't going to lose Bella just because his sister couldn't shut her mouth. "This isn't about me getting in trouble, or my ass rotting in jail. Fuck if I care about that. This about Isabella and I. We are trying to figure out what to do here without completely fucking shit up. So please, if you know what's good for you – just stay out of this. I beg of you."

His eyes were sincere, his lips pressing together as he just hopped his sister would understand. Alice could see the sadness drifting in Edward's eyes, begging her for just this once to keep something like this to herself. Who was she to tell someone? Her brother was finally happy; she could see it in him, especially when he looked at Bella.

_He loves her_.

She never thought it could happen – never thought that her brother, the man who fucked her best friend every single night, was capable of falling in love. But there he was, turning to Bella as he wrapped her in his arms, promising he would be back soon. He took a total of six minutes to get his things together and leave, kissing Bella once more just before looking at Alice sternly.

Once he left, the only beings that were left were Alice, Bella, and Russell who lay comfortably near the couch.

"I know this is a lot…" Bella began, cutting the awkward silence.

"A lot? This is… This is _not_ _a lot_. This is a fucking _truck_ _load_ of shit of epic proportions." Alice sighed, shaking her head as she stood from the chair to pace around the room. "I mean… I didn't know what to expect coming here and demanding answers. I didn't know what you were going to say… Had no idea what was going to go down. But this? This was the last thing on my mind. My brother? A kidnapper?"

"It's more than that, Alice." Bella stood up as Alice walked past her, sitting next to the window and staring down at the water of Lake Union in the distance.

"How can you…" Alice began, running her fingers through her short spiky black hair, "How can you _want_ to be with him? After what he put you through?" She asked, looking back to Bella who straightened up, fixing the chairs of the table near the kitchen.

"Like I said… It's more than that." Bella began with a sigh. "I can't really explain it."

"Try." Alice told her, leaning up from the window as she looked to Bella with a serious expression. "I need to know what I'm dealing with here. I deserve to know."

Bella chewed on her bottom lip and swiftly turned into the bedroom, hearing Alice and a set of paws following her. Bella brushed her hair back, sitting down onto the disheveled bed as Russell sat down next to her near her feet. Bella didn't know how to explain her relationship with Edward to Alice. And honestly, she felt like she didn't need to explain herself to Alice. But this wasn't just about her anymore, this was Edward and hers relationship. Everything depended on Alice realizing what she was getting into. Bella looked up to Alice who walked to the bed, sitting down on the opposite side near the end.

"I should hate him. Should hate what he does, what he did to me… But I don't." Bella shrugged. "It's hard to explain, but at the same time, it's simple. I love him. More than anything in the world."

"How can you love someone who took you from your home?" Alice asked curiously, curling her legs up underneath her as her chin rested on her knee. "I mean… He took everything from you."

"It wasn't just him. I know that doesn't make it an excuse…" Bella sighed, shaking her head. "He was the only one out of all of them who cared. When he looked at me, he saw something beside the little rich girl they took for money. I could tell he felt guilty for it." Bella stopped, running her fingers along the sheets just before standing and walking to the window, sitting on the sill of it. "What he did was bad, trust me. I'm not condoning it at all. And a part of me will always resent him for what he did. But the bigger part of me loves him too much to turn away. He feels guilty, he's apologized, and he helped me escape and put his life on the line just so _I_ could be safe. I can't just _not_ forgive him for that."

Alice paused, rubbing her cheek gently as she tried to comprehend Bella's words. She didn't know if she felt the same way – Alice liked to hold grudges. And with something that big, you couldn't just _not_ hate someone for it. But _somehow_, Bella and Edward had found the line between kidnapper and kidnapped to lovers. It was odd to see, but at the same time a strange relief. If they could make it – so could anyone else.

"Alice, I love your brother. So much." Bella took in a deep breath, willing to calm herself from the emotions. "I know you love him too. Don't let this cloud your judgment."

"How can this not could my judgment? I mean he's a kidnapper. A criminal, for God sakes!" Alice cried, running her fingers through her hair.

"He's a good person!" Bella yelled, standing from the sill, now annoyed from the name calling. "He's still your brother! Nothing can change that. He hates what he did, he regrets every moment of it."

"Then why is he still working for them?" Alice countered.

"Because that would look too suspicious. The girl breaks out then one of their members leaves? Especially the one who spent the most time with her? They would catch on. They _would_ kill him, Alice. And I _can't_ live without him." Bella nearly cried, and Alice stayed still, watching the tears form in her eyes.

_This is serious_….

Alice tried to fathom Bella's words, tried to comprehend everything but she was still at a loss of words. Her mind was still reeling in with Edward being the kidnapper – but now she was trying to think of ways that _they_ actually happened. Alice thought that maybe they just confined into each other, but now hearing her talk about him this way – she knew that this was serious.

"You two… You love each other?" Alice asked. Bella nodded quickly. "I'm shocked to say the least. Edward has never loved."

"He loves you." Bella said pointedly.

"I mean girlfriend wise. Even in high school, Edward never had a girlfriend. He only fucked." Alice snorted and Bella shifted uncomfortably. Alice noticed. "Sorry." She smiled sadly, shrugging her shoulders. "This is all too… much."

"Well we weren't planning on telling you." Bella said.

"Someone's got to find out eventually though. I mean, don't people recognize you out on the streets?" Alice asked and Bella moved back to the bed, staying silent as she bit her lip. "Oh, no." Alice cried. "Don't tell me he has locked you in here! That's ridiculous!"

"I've decided to stay. I'm willing to pay the consequences." Bella nodded her head stubbornly.

"Consequences? This is like… A life sentence! As long as you stay here, your face will be out there! Everywhere! That means you can't go out! Ever!" Alice rasped, letting out a deep and heavy breath. "Aren't you going crazy?"

"Trust me; if you had seen where I was being held captive, this looks like a presidential suite." Bella laughed, running her fingers along the sheets.

"Doesn't it get annoying though?"

"Edward has made it clear that if I want to go, I can. It's not like I'm really being held captive." Bella shrugged.

"No, but the way your living makes it pretty clear you are." Alice laughed. "At least let me help you."

"Help me?"

"Oh yeah. I've got tons of wigs for some of the models I showcase for my lines." Alice told her, swinging her hands onto her hips.

"You have a line? Of clothing?" Bella asked shockingly.

"It's not anything huge yet. I'm still trying to catch my big break." Alice told her, sitting herself down at the end of the bed. "But I can hook you up with a blonde wig."

"I don't know…" Bella trailed off, knowing that Edward wouldn't like this idea.

"You don't want to leave him, but you want to get out of this apartment – right?" Alice asked.

"It's not that I'm _leaving_ him when I leave. I mean, I am, but it's not like _that_." Bella laughed nervously, shaking her head as she tried to make sense out of her own words.

"Whatever it is your doing, you cannot be packed up in here. You'll go crazy. Trust me. Why do you think Edward was never here before you came along?" Alice asked, but Bella shrugged. She didn't really know him then – so she had no clue. "If you're worried about Edward, then we'll just do this after he leaves."

"Alice… I don't want to play with fire." Bella told her.

"Better to play with fire then sit here all day long. At least you're doing something interesting." Alice challenged, smirking as she shrugged. "Come on, we can go out to lunch, see a movie – get to know each other."

"I don't…" Bella began, but with the way Alice was looking at her, she couldn't deny the invitation. "I mean… I'll think about it."

"Good." Alice smiled victoriously just before glancing at her watch. "Shit. I've got to get out of here." She stood and walked out, Bella following behind her.

"Alice?" Bella called out as Alice shrugged on her coat. "Please, don't let this make you think differently about him. I can't justify what he did, but know he regrets it."

"Bella, it's just one of those things that's going to need time." Alice told her as she shrugged. "I really can't face him right now… Things are so… Different."

"I know." Bella said softly. "Just… When you think about him – just remember who he is. Not what he did."

Alice contemplated this for a moment, and then she smiled. A true, genuine smile. One that made Bella know that everything was going to be alright. "I love my brother." She said before reaching the doorknob. "That will never change.

Xx

Rain pelted against the window as lightening in the sky lit up the room, thunder rolling loudly in the distance, causing the windows of the apartment to shake. The bed was cold – alone. Except for one body. It tossed and turned, not use to the lack of physical contact it was currently dealing with right now. Bella reached over for the left side of the bed, only to find it empty and cold. Her eyes opened seeing her hand touching the empty vast of space next to her.

She pulled away and slowly sat up, looking to the window that streamed in the lightening when it flashed. A loud roll of thunder caused Bella to squeal, her hand coming over her mouth as her heart began pounding. She had heard thunderstorms before – had been caught in them and didn't have a care in the world, but ever since her kidnapping, every little thing seemed to alert her. The crack of a floorboard, the squeak of a door, even the faucet that dripped a few drops of water for a few moments after every use. She was hyper aware of everything, and she didn't like it one bit.

Even more, she didn't like that she was still alone, because she didn't have to be. She slid off the sheet, decked in one of Edward's shirts and only that. She reached for her black silky robe Alice had bought her and slid it on, tying the band around the middle. Bella walked quietly to the door, pushing it open to find the sitting area dark with night.

She could though, make out the body that sat near the windowsill, it lighting up when the lightening sparked. Russell, who lay on the floor near the chair, became aware of Bella's presence and stood up to greet her. As she walked out, she laid her hand onto Russell's head, patting him gently as she moved closer to Edward who still had not noticed her, or so she thought.

"You should be asleep." His voice was low, struck with pain and misery. She didn't know why though – they had Alice on their side now. Sure, it took a lot of persuading but at least Alice could see their half of it, maybe even if it was just a little bit. She didn't know why he was acting as if something terrible had happened.

"I've grown used to you holding me." Bella began quietly. "It… It doesn't feel right when your not there."

At this moment, Edward turned to look at his lover, a warm, placid smile moving over his lips. She noticed his eyes raking down her body; her bare legs seemed so unnaturally pale now when the glow of the lightening lit them up. She now had wished she wore some sweat pants.

And it was as if Edward could sense her self-doubt and he brought his arms out to reach for her. Bella grabbed his hands and allowed him to pull her into his arms. He sat still, his face pressed into her stomach as his arms cupped around her soft legs. Bella gently dropped her hands, running her fingers through his hair to try and ease his tense body.

"Why don't you come to bed? You look exhausted." She said, stroking her fingers down his cheeks.

"You look beautiful in silk. You should _always_ wear it. That's all I want to see you in." He told her, changing the subject. Bella sighed softly, watching as he looked up to her just before pressing a kiss to her stomach.

"That would be a little pretentious, don't you think?" She asked him, smiling as she could feel his smirk against her covered navel. "Plus, I like cotton too much to give it up. Could you live with that?"

"Isabella, you don't have to wear anything at all to please me." Edward stated, pulling away to gaze up at her. "Though I prefer you do wear clothes when you're not in my presence. We don't want to give anyone the wrong idea."

"No, we wouldn't want that, now would we?" Bella giggled, feeling as Edward wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her down and onto his lap. Her legs hung over his, her head burying underneath his chin as she took in his scent. She held onto him, feeling him responding identically as if they thought each of them were going to disappear. Bella sighed into his neck, running her fingers underneath his shirt to feel his warm skin. "Please tell me what's wrong." She pleaded.

"Why do you think something is wrong?" Edward asked, stroking his fingers through her hair lovingly.

"Because. You wouldn't leave me in your bed with clothes on if something wasn't bothering you." She told him, and Edward let out a loud laugh, it vibrating through his body and penetrating hers. Bella smiled widely, loving the way he laughed, the way it made him sound so young and carefree.

"You've only known me for months, have only been my lover for weeks, and yet you already know so much about me." He told her, pulling their bodies away slightly so they could look into each others eyes.

"I'd like to think we were lovers long before we were having sex." Bella said, her hands reaching up to stroke his cheek, causing Edward to relax under the skin of her fingertips and the electricity that embedded from her body to his.

"Me too." He told her before leaning forward and pressing a kiss to her nose.

"Just tell me what's on your mind." Bella pleaded, looking up at him with all the love and adoration she had for just for _him_. Edward could feel it. _How could I not?_ He didn't want to concern her with his problems and his doubts; it would be unfair for her. She has had it so rough for the past couple of months; she deserves to go a few weeks without a worry in her head.

"It's nothing, love." Edward told her, leaning forward to press a kiss to her temple.

"Bull shit." Bella muttered quite loudly, stunning Edward. He pulled back to smirk at her, only to find her glowering at him. He grinned widely, kissing her lips softly to pull away the pout, but she was like a brick wall. She wasn't going to be torn down unless she had answers. "Tell me." She said, her voice serious. Edward sighed softly, and then sucked in a deep breath as he ran his fingers along her inner thigh, squeezing tightly.

"Where should I start?"

"The beginning." Bella told him, brushing back a strand of copper that hung over his eyes. Edward let out a hefty sigh, worrying Bella momentarily that this may be something bigger than she anticipated.

"I don't know," Edward began unsurely, leaning forward and pressing his chin to her shoulder. "I always thought that my family would love me no matter what. Even with what I do. Because they are my family, I felt that it was just natural for them to forgive me." Edward stopped, his fingers trailing down Bella's knee. "But the way Alice looked at me when we told her… All of my reasoning of them loving me despite everything went out the window."

"She loves you." Bella said reassuringly. Her fingers went up to his hair, her fingernails gently raking across his scalp and sending gentle shocks through his body. "You've got to give her time to absorb it all. That was a lot of information." Edward contemplated Bella's words and nodded, glancing away from her as he stared at the floor. "What else is bothering you?" Bella asked softly, careful not to push him.

"Her big mouth." He said lowly. "She doesn't have a filter. I'm afraid she'll accidently say something."

"She knows how big of a deal this is. She won't let it slip." Bella assured him.

"How do you know?" He asked gruffly, hearing Bella let out a soft giggle.

"I don't." She replied simply. Edward looked up to her, her brown eyes big and smooth, so close to him that he felt the corner of his lips move up. "Your sister loves you. She will see the side of you that I do. She will come around. I'm not sure she won't let it slip, but I trust her enough to think that she wouldn't let that happen."

"You trust way too fucking easily." Edward smirked, watching as Bella narrowed her eyes at him.

"I didn't trust you." She told him matter-of-factly and Edward nodded, leaning forward to press a kiss to her lips but she turned her head and he had ended up kissing her cheek. "I guess trust is a bad word to explain it. I have faith in your sister that she won't say anything."

"Faith, trust. Same shit." Edward said but Bella shook her head furiously.

"Not the same shit. Trust is when no matter what you do, you know they will always be there for you. You also trust them with your life. Faith is just believing in someone, that they'll do the right thing." Bella told Edward correctly, "At least, that's what I think. To me, trust isn't a right. It's a gift. You can always have faith in someone, but you don't have to trust them."

"Do you trust me?" Edward asked softly, brushing some strands of chestnut locks back. Bella smiled genuinely, her hands running up his arms and around his neck.

"With my life." She whispered, her breath hitting his lips.

Edward looked into the eyes of his beloved and he believed everything was going to be okay. Despite the paths he was walking, he knew everything had to turn out right because this felt right. Being with Bella felt right. How could he doubt such a thing?

He knew he couldn't. No matter what happened in his life, he knew that this would be a good thing to come out of it. He loved her. He was in love with her. Those feelings do not just create themselves – not where he stands. So instead of questioning it like he would normally do, he just gave in. He gave into those soft brown, angelic eyes and that soft silky skin and of course that beautiful soul.

Edward grabbed Bella's legs, pushing them off gently just so he could get a better hold. He hooked his arms around her thighs and lifted her in his arms, a reminisce position of when he first took her to his bed.

"I am so sorry I left you clothed in our bed." His words were just coming out, but Bella noticed the term _our_ bed. Her body felt alive and _couldn't_ help but smile. She loved this man to pieces. "May I make it up to you?"

"Possibly." She answered coyly.

"I'm going to take that as a _fuck yes_." Edward responded enthusiastically as he took her to their bed and began stripping her. Tonight, despite everything that happened, he would worship his lover like all the nights before. He would forget that his sister found out everything, forget the look in her eyes, and forget the possible damages that may come from her knowledge. He will lay his Bella down and make sweet love to her, because she deserved it – they deserved it. And the last thing on his mind would be Bella, as he would be hers. They consumed each other, bodies radiating and touching, lips kisses and souls coming together.

It was all that mattered.

* * *

**Author's Note; Aww, I know. All kinds of fluff in this chapter.**

**Okay a few things to cover…**

**Thank you all for reviewing! I hope you enjoy this new idea of the review replies! Also if you did review but did not get a reply, this is one of two things.**

**1. You either did not sign in when you reviewed.  
****2. You have requested on your fanfiction to not revcieve private messages.**

**So if you would like a review reply, make sure your signed in, and you can receive private messages.**

**Next time… Bella will finally go out… Without Edward knowing. Shit's about to go down for sure.**

**Thank you so much to Lauren for beta-ing!  
****And thanks to you guys for reading.**

**Review!  
Review replies will be sent out within a few days.  
****Btw, I love doing these review replies. I love talking to each and every one of you, just so you know.**

**Fucking love you.**

**xoxo  
****shelby**

**p.s. follow me on twitter! www(dot)twitter(dot)com/xbitterangelx !**

**p.s.s. we made it to 300 reviews! Yay! Lets get to 400, kayyy? Love you all to fucking pieces.**


	20. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

"Edward!" Bella shrieked, feeling her body being raised in the air. She started squealing, her body hanging over his shoulder with her face to his bare back. Russell was up and jumping around Edward as he held Bella from his shoulders. The commotions were making the dog nervous and excited, causing him to start barking. "Edward, put me down!" Bella laughed, smacking him a few times on the behind.

"I've allowed you to sleep _two_ extra hours. I'm starting to get lonely out here." Edward stated, smirking as he felt her smacking him – her hits were futile though.

"That's because _someone_ had me up in the early hours of the morning because they couldn't keep it in their pants!" Bella shot back, Russell still barking off to the side. "He thinks your hurting me. You need to put me down!"

"He's fine. And if I seem to recall, you weren't complaining when I woke you." He said, lifting her effortlessly from his shoulders and dropping her onto the couch. "I don't know about you, but last time I checked '_Oh Edward, don't stop_,' wasn't code for '_leave me alone and let me slee_p'."

"You know you're a real asshole sometimes." Bella smirked, narrowing her eyes at him as she attempted to kick him in the stomach as he stood before her. He caught her leg in his hands and bent down, pressing a kiss to her bare knee considering she was only dressed in one of his shirts once again.

"But you love me." He challenged, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Fortunately, for you." She grinned, reveling in the feeling of him stroking her calf tenderly.

"Fortunately for _me_?" He barked with laughter, "_My Isabella_, it is a privilege for you to hold my love. Not a right. I do not just hand it out willingly."

"Is that so?" Bella laughed, watching as he nodded.

"You must earn it." Edward stated, reaching forward and tugging gently on his shirt that hung loosely on her body.

"And have I earned this love from you? Or do I need to try harder?" She tested, her body sliding forward as her legs encircled around his waist, his hands immediately going to her hips.

"Baby, you had me at '_Trust me; I'd like to kill you._'" He grinned, leaning forward so that their lips barely touched. And as he moved just that inch closer, a cold, wet nose sat place on Bella's lap. She pulled away, seeing Russell's head on her leg almost as if he were trying to pry them apart.

"I think someone is jealous." Bella laughed, wrapping her arms around Russell's head and pulling her head down to kiss the top of his head.

"You know," Edward began, staring straight at Russell. "After everything I have done for you… Saved you, cleaned you, fed you, put a roof over your head – you defy me by trying to get with _my_ fucking girlfriend." Bella laughed as Russell just snorted, loving the attention he was being granted with by Bella. "I see how it's starting to work here now. I've been replaced."

"Not replaced. Just temporarily pegged down." Bella smirked, still clinging onto Russell.

"_Temporarily pegged down_." Edward scoffed, "Isn't that just a nicer way of saying I've been kicked to the curb?"

"I'm trying to be sensitive in your lower placement in his life. It's your own fault for seeing it that way." Bella giggled, pulling away from Russell as she reached for Edward. "But don't worry, because you're still in my top."

"I'd like to get you _out_ of that top." Edward wiggled his eyebrows.

"I'm sure you would." Bella laughed, feeling her body being lifted by Edward as he stood, his hands gripping her bottom and holding the flesh tightly in his palms as her legs encircled his waist. "But, I'm hungry."

"The lady is hungry?" Edward asked, raising a brow. "And what would she like to eat?"

"I'll take anything." She shrugged.

"Oh, well in that case – I've got something ready and waiting for you." Edward smirked and Bella scoffed, rolling her eyes as she stepped down from him, heading towards the kitchen.

"Maybe later, Romeo." She said, waving him off and Edward smirked – standing back and enjoying the view of his Isabella – realizing just how in love he truly is.

Edward had made eggs and sausage for the two of them, and both had ended up at the table silently eating as he read the newspaper and she read _Sense and Sensibility_. At one point during their meal, Edward had looked up and for a few minutes as he watched her flip through the pages and occasionally reaching forward to take a bite out of her food – never taking her eyes off the book. Something sparked inside of him during this moment – and he silently hoped that this could last forever. After the two finished breakfast, Edward headed out for a run with Russell and once returned the two of them lay around a little while longer until Edward's phone began to ring. It was nearing four in the afternoon, he told Bella it would probably be a late night and that she shouldn't wait up for him.

After receiving his goodbye kiss, Edward left Bella alone with Russell in the apartment. At first she waited, just to make sure he didn't come back in case he may have possibly forgotten something. After waiting around for an hour or so, Bella walked back into the bedroom, Russell on her heels, and to Edward's closet where her shopping bags from Alice with her clothes all sat. She knelled down and dug through them, finding the right one and pulling it out in front of her as she began pulling out the clothes. Russell sat down next to her whining as if in some attempt to discourage her from doing this.

"Don't look at me like that." Bella said simply. "He at least takes you out for runs. Your not stuck in here twenty four seven." She murmured, but this time Russell stood up and walked away. Bella pulled out the baggy at the bottom of the bag, opening it to reveal the wig. This though was not her first time wearing it.

It had been two weeks since Alice took Bella outside to downtown Seattle. Since then Bella had been leaving the house every single day when Edward left for work, always returning an hour or so before he came home. She didn't go far, only to small bookstores or little cafes on the corners. She didn't want to go too overboard just in case someone had noticed her. No one had – the blonde wig made for a good cover up. Bella was sure though that she had been missing for so long that everyone just seemed to give up – no one even took a second glance at her.

She had to admit, the first time leaving had scared her senseless. Even with Alice coaxing her that everything would be alright, Bella still felt vulnerable. It had been the first time she was actually out on her own, not being confined in a car or in a phone booth. It was just her and the world – plus Alice, but she didn't mind it.

"_This…This is a very bad idea, Alice. I think we should go back. He'll find out. He's gonna be so mad." Bella told her, clutching onto her arm as people passed them on the sidewalk. She was decked out in a blonde wig and sunglasses, but even with her disguise she still felt exposed._

"_He will not find out. Just calm down, alright. Do you want to be stuck in that house some more?" Alice challenged, pushing Bella to the other side of the corner as they turned. _

"_It's not like he's forcing me Alice. I want to stay." Bella told her, watching as people passed her and noticing that they didn't even look at her. They were all minding their own business. Talking on their phones, reading the newspaper, chatting with other people. No one even cared. _

"_What Edward doesn't know, won't hurt him. Trust me. This will be fun." Alice smiled brightly, leaving no room for arguments as she pulled Bella along and across the street._

_Fun is exactly what they had. Bella hadn't been to downtown Seattle since she was a little girl, thus not remembering much of it. Alice had taken Bella to some of her favorite boutiques and shopping centers. Bella tried to seem entertained during that part of their adventure, but she didn't enjoy clothes shopping all that much. But she had to admit, she was enjoying herself. The fresh air was doing her some good – clearing her head and allowing her to actually breathe. _

_She loved Edward. She loved being with him in his little apartment, not having a care in the world. But she needed this; she needed to get out even if it was just for just a little while. Alice was right, what Edward doesn't know – won't hurt him. She felt guilty for betraying him, but she needed this despite the consequences that may possibly occur. _

_The rest of the day was used for Bella getting used to the town. She found a small café called Caffé Vita. There she and Alice had lunch and cappuccinos just before heading off so Alice could do more shopping. It wasn't what Bella had in mind per say, but she didn't complain. It was a beautiful day and she just enjoyed it – not knowing when she'd be able to enjoy it again._

After that day, Bella felt more confident about going out. She still hid it from Edward, but for the past two weeks she had been sneaking out on her own. Sometimes taking Russell to the park so she could enjoy outside, even if it were rainy, and sometimes she went to the small book stores and curled up on the chairs and read. She always made sure she was hidden, and if in sight she was completely disguised. She couldn't even recognize herself in the wig and sunglasses.

The guilt, though, was still easing itself inside of her. She always told herself that this would be her last time she'd go out, but something always came up. She wanted to experience more, and tonight she was going to do exactly that. Yesterday when she had been out, she saw a flier of a local reggae festival that would be going on all night – right outside Edward's home. Considering he was working late tonight – Bella thought that she'd just go out and see what it was all about.

She ran into the bathroom, wig in her hand and began lifting her hair up into a bun, setting the hairnet over her head and then fitting on the wig. The wig was long and straight, complete opposite of her normal curled locks. She switched into a sweater and jeans as well as her converses and headed out to the living room where Russell followed her, whimpering gently.

"No, not this time buddy. I'll take you out tomorrow, okay?" Bella said and Russell sat down near the couch, watching as she reached into the cabinet and grabbed the extra key Edward always hid in the top mug in case of emergencies. She made sure everything was in order and with one last goodbye to Russell, she headed out down the elevator and where the festival had already started.

The streets were crowded, the night sky occasionally filled with assortments of lights when small fireworks burst through the air. Dancers jumped around Bella who smiled widely, her brown locks covered in blonde and her black hood up and protecting her face. Along the street were booths selling many different things like blown glass, paintings, fireworks, jewelry, food, and lit-up accessories. Children ran around the crowded streets, chasing each other with silly string as the air was filled with music. People passed Bella, drunkenly smiling at her or just walking by – but they all seemed too enriched with their own party that they didn't even notice her.

"A bracelet for the pretty lady?" An old woman had stepped in front of Bella, shoving a box of glowing jewelry in her face. Bella shot back, surprised by her sudden appearance, but smiled and shook her head.

"I have no money." She said with a shrug.

"No charge for a beautiful girl such as yourself." She smiled, reaching for her hand and shoving several neon and purple glowing bracelets onto her wrist. Bella smiled, toying with them at first and then looked back to the woman.

"Thank you." She said sweetly and then woman nodded drunkenly and wobbled off. She watched her, laughing when she ran into other people who were now hoarding her for free things.

Bella turned back around and headed deeper into the festival. It was so refreshing to be around so many people and not have to worry about them noticing her. As she traveled deeper into the crowd, she made out a large stage near the docks of Lake Union, a reggae band playing upstage while a crowd danced beneath it, smoke machines fogging the crowd. Bella watched in curiosity, never seeing so many people in her life. This even beat Phil's events at the mansion. Bella would pay good money to see all of Phil's stuck up clients and business men stuck in a room with these people.

She laughed at the thought, and continued to watch before she felt herself swaying to the music. She then felt someone touch her with something cold; she turned quickly to see a man, around her age, long blonde hair, bright blue eyes and a contagious smile holding out an unopened beer.

"Sorry to bother you. You just looked a little lonely over here by yourself." He laughed, shrugging. "But by the way you were just dancing, you seem to be enjoying the show, right?" He asked with a smirk, nodding over to the crowd still dancing. Bella took the beer, knowing it was safe considering it wasn't open. She popped it open easily with the end of her shirt and nodded.

"Is it always like this?" Bella asked with a laugh, watching an old couple grind against each other.

"Always." He laughed, noticing what she was looking at. "They do have pretty good reggae music here. You can't copy original like Bob Marley, but you can sure as hell try." He said, sipping on his beer. Bella took a sip of her own just before seeing the mans hand come out from the corner of her eye. "I'm Jasper, by the way."

Bella reached for his hand and shook it, "I'm Bell-" She stopped just short of her name, and Jasper raised a curious brow before chucking at her odd response.

"Bell? Well it's very nice to meet you Bell. Is that short for something?" He asked, dropping their hands.

"Nope. Just Bell." She smiled, taking a sip of her beer nervously.

"Well, _Bell_. You from around here?" He asked with a hint of a southern accent, leaning against the metal bar they were standing in front of. Bella shook her head, taking a gulp of her beer, careful to answer the question.

"No, I'm from California." She lied effortlessly with a smile.

"A Cali girl, huh? Where's your daisy dukes and bikini?" He smirked and Bella laughed, shaking her head with a shrug.

"Sorry to disappoint, but I left them back home." She grinned, glancing back to the stage. "Are you from around here?"

"Well, I lived in Texas my whole life. Moved up here to Seattle about a year ago. Found this festival about around the time I moved. They have one about every month, you know." He said, nodding to the crowd once again. "But I haven't seen it nearly this big before."

"Is it always this… Loud?" She asked with a laugh, and Jasper nodded.

"Always. You get used to it after awhile. Especially if you live here in the area. I was never into reggae before, but when I came to these I fell in love with the music. Augustus Pablo, Dawn Penn, Barrington Levy. Genius's, I tell you."

"I believe it." Bella smirked, finishing off her beer just as an old man came walking up to her.

"Excuse me, Miss?" He said gently, "But I couldn't help but notice that you weren't dancing. Would you like to change that?" He smirked and both Bella and Jasper let out a loud laugh together.

"Oh, no, no. I'm okay. I really am not a good dancer." Bella shook her head, still laughing, but she could tell that the old man would not go down without a fight.

"I can teach you! It's easy, really. Come on. Please. My dying wish?" He asked, pulling out his bottom lip.

"Damn, Grandpa knows how to play his cards right." Jasper said with a loud chuckle and Bella sighed, finally nodding her head as she reached for his hand that was held out to her.

"Alright. One dance." She told him, and the old man nodded, holding up one finger as he lead her out to the dance floor just after Bella reached for Jasper to give him her empty beer bottle.

Bella was pushed into the crowd with the old man, and she hoped to God he would start grinding against her. But this man, she could sense, was very classy. He grabbed her hands, looking up to her considering he was a few inches shorter than her and began swaying with her to the music. And to an outsider point of view, it may have seemed awkward, but Bella was having the time of her life – surrounded by a bunch of people, music in the background, laughter all around. She had wished Edward was here with her to experience it with, but she knew that it couldn't be possible, at least no right now.

The man brought Bella's hand up, allowing her to turn in a circle. She smiled at him, the two still swaying. And as the song began to end the old man spun Bella around, and as she twirled multiple times, her body was stopped – and she felt as if she hit a boulder. As the crowd let out a blazing loud cheer, she let out a soft _ompf_, feeling a familiar pair of hands hold her hips. Bella froze, her eyes on a chest in front of her as her eyes began trailing up, and what she saw sent a rush of ice through her body.

It was Edward.

Many different things were running through Bella's mind at this point. Either he was home early, or she had lost track of time but either way, she knew she was in trouble. He glared down at her, his face strained with worry and confusion, but as he came to the conclusion of the scene around him, that worry and confusion turned into downright rage. His jaw tightened, his eyebrows knitted, his lips pressing together in a hard line as his arms tensed. His eyes were cold and isolated, and because of the darkness of the night – Bella could have sworn his eyes were clouded with black.

For the first time in weeks, Bella began to fear Edward.

Edward didn't say anything though. Instead he pulled away from her and turned around – walking away from the crowd. Bella knew that she had to follow – had there not been a crowd around them, Bella was sure Edward would have dragged her home. But to spare the eyes of the innocent, he just walked away, his intent on her to follow him. Even beneath his leather jacket, Bella could tell that his back was tense. And of course – his fists were clenched together, his figure filtering away and back towards his home. His stance was a warning for her to prepare herself for his wrath that she would be witnessing in the near future.

Bella turned to say goodbye to the old man, but he had already gone. She wanted to look for Jasper, just to say goodbye to him but she couldn't see him through the crowd. So instead she turned back to where Edward was walking and she ducked her head like a young child and followed the angry figure all the way back to the apartment. Edward was nearly a hundred steps in front of her, so when she reached the door of his apartment, it was closed. She did, though, hear things being thrown around from inside. She took in a deep breath, knowing that she was in a massive amount of trouble and pulled the door open.

Edward was standing near the couch, clutching his hair as he took in deep – heavy breaths. He was trying to calm down – but the technique wasn't very effective. Bella shut the door behind her, glancing to the side of the room where one of the small kitchen table chairs was broken in half, a dent near the window nearby giving her the indication that the chair had suffered a horrible death by being beaten against the unsuspecting wall.

She also noticed that the house was a wreck. The larger cabinets were open, the mattress in the bedroom torn away from the box, the small pantry open near the fridge. Bella realized then, that he must have been searching for her. He either thought that she left him, or by the looks of his shaking form he probably thought something else…

_He thought they took me…_

Edward was not facing Bella, and that worried her. He was still clutching his hair, his leather jacket now off as the tight grey v-neck he was wearing showed all his muscles tensing and moving underneath the fabric. Russell sat near the chair, watching Bella as if he urged her to say something. Bella pulled her hood down slowly, grabbing the wig and the hairnet off of her head, setting them to the side as she shrugged off her jacket. She went as slow as possible, trying to not to make any sudden movements in fear that he may just snap.

Bella took in a deep breath, the silence was overwhelming her. It was much worse than his screams. "Edward…" She whispered softly.

"Don't." He growled quickly, turning to her to lift his hand in a gesture for her to stop. "Don't you say a damn word."

Bella's mouth zipped shut, her body tight and rigid as she watched Edward pace back and fourth, clutching onto his hair for dear life. Russell sat near the kitchen table and the moment they locked eyes, the dog's head tilted to the side and he snorted as if in his own way to tell her that she was on her own with this one.

For a few more minutes Bella stayed still as Edward paced and just as her legs began to stiffen, Edward shot around towards her, his hands out of his hair and one finger pointed towards her in accusation. He charged towards her and just for a split second, Bella had the intention of running away from him. She knew he would never hurt her, but it was the instinctual way of these types of situations. Fight of flight, and she was prepared to fly.

"You just don't get it, do you?" Edward growled, stopping just inches from her. "You think this is some kind of joke? You think that this isn't serious?"

"No, Edward –" Bella began.

"How did you even get that fucking wig?" He then chuckled emptily and responded to his own question before she could, "Why am I even asking? It was Alice." He growled.

"Please, don't be mad at her." Bella said quickly. "She only went the first time. I went on my own after that."

"Oh I'm not mad – I'm fucking pissed as hell. I knew she would do something stupid like this – I just fucking knew it." Edward shook his head, pacing once again. "What did you think you would accomplish by doing this? Hm?"

"I wasn't trying to accomplish anything! I just wanted to…"

"No, I think the question is – why are you so fucking insistent on trying to defy me?" Edward shook his head, gripping his hair once again, almost as if it were some kind of calming ritual.

"I'm not trying to defy you, Edward!"

"No, it just fucking happens, right?" A hollow chuckle escaped his lips, his shoulders shrugging as he let go of his hair. "You are risking everything! In one small second you decided to put everything on the table, and guess what? You fucked up. How long has this been going on? Have you done this before?" He sneered, stepping back when he realized that she was beginning to shake.

"Just a few times…" Bella let out in a soft whisper.

"A few times?" Edward's voice rose, causing Bella to flinch. "Are you fucking kidding me? How fucking irresponsible are you?" Edward paused, long enough for her to notice but not long enough for her to answer. "The police could be tracking you right now! The Volturi could be watching this apartment at this very fucking moment! Did it ever occur to you what would happen if you went out?" He growled, "And what about that whole fucking speech about trust and faith you gave me a few days ago? Hm? Was that bull shit too? How the hell am I supposed to trust _you_ when you decide to fuck everything up?"

"I just… I was… I couldn't…" Bella was at a loss of words. When she was locked up, he had yelled at her numerous of times – but nothing like this. She knew she deserved it – she just wasn't prepared for it. "I just wanted to walk around… I didn't want anything to happen…"

"And what if something did happen? Did you think about that? What would you have done if the police found you? Or better yet – what would you have done if the Volturi found you? They would take you back there, Bella. You think they were vicious the first time around, well you haven't seen shit. You put every single goddamn thing at risk just because you can't do as you're told!" Edward's face was nearly red; his chest heaving in anger and Bella knew that she deserved all of this. She wasn't going to fight with him, not when he was so livid and had every right to be so. She wasn't going to fight with him – at least until he started speaking again, uttering four words that caused her to go frozen.

"Just… Go home, Bella." The words were spat out, every letter enunciated. _Home_. He didn't even have a second thought – he didn't even have to think about it. _Go home_. He said it with such clarity, that Bella felt her heart aching.

"Wh-What?" She whispered softly, beginning to shake her head.

"You heard me." He said, his voice smooth and certain. "If you're so sick of it here, then go home."

"I'm not sick of it here!" Bella yelled, her eyes glued into his jaded ones. "I just… I wanted some fresh air, that's all! I don't… I'm not ready to go home yet."

"You just…" Edward laughed emptily and shook his head, ripping their gaze as he turned. "You just don't get it. I'm not keeping you in here to hold you hostage. The door is open for you to go if you wish. You just…" Edward stopped, turning back around to look at her. "They will find you, Bella. The whole damn state is looking for you. If you stay here, and decide to take a nice stroll down to the park, someone will notice you. It may not happen now, or in a few weeks, but it will happen. Someone will see you. Despite the wig. You aren't giving the human race enough credit." He paused, his voice now gentle, though Bella knew she still wasn't entirely off the hook. "So if you are going to put everything on line then just go home. There is nothing here for you anyways."

The words were so clear and smooth; a tear began forming in the corner of Bella's eyes. And though she felt the sad emotions wash through her entire beings, something sparked inside of her. It was anger; it was rage and it was quickly building inside of her like a ticking clock. As Edward turned and walked towards the bedroom, the spark grew into a full fledge fire ball, and it had a target – straight at Edward.

"I thought you said this wasn't about going to jail?" Bella voice was hard and rough – and this stopped Edward in his tracks. "I can understand you being mad, but is this what it's been about the whole time? You're so nervous that the police have caught on that they'll send you to do time? Yes, I laid everything on the table. But I didn't know I laid your fear of incarceration on it too."

This time, Edward turned. When he turned, he saw Bella's stance was different. There was space between her legs; her hands were clutched to her sides, producing small fists of fury. Her eyes were bright and alive; a small V forming above her eyebrows like it usually does when she is upset. But Edward couldn't let her body distract him from the real problem – her.

He let out an empty chuckle, reaching up and rubbing his chin. "If that's what you think it's about despite everything I have told you, then fine. I can't change your mind."

"That is such a cop out!" Bella screamed, moving towards him with loud stomps. "You are such an asshole!"

"I'm an asshole?" Edward asked, pressing his hand to his chest. "Yeah, well if you think I'm fucking upset because I'm scared to rot in a cell – well that just proves how big of a bitch you really are…"

But before Edward could continue on, Bella's hand whipped back and shot forward, hitting him right across the face. It had happened so fast, Edward thought for a moment he might have imagined it – but the pain was too real. He looked back down to her, and noticed she didn't have an ounce of regret in her eyes.

"I. Am. Not. A. Bitch." The words were spat out, just like his earlier.

"Then why are you fighting with me?" Edward sneered, noticing her hand coming back up. This time he was prepared, and he grabbed her wrist, stopping her from hitting him. Bella grunted against him even though his grip wasn't too tight, and her other hand began pounding against his chest. He gripped that one too, pushing her back so her back was against the wall and his body was pinned against hers. Bella continued to thrash, her head shaking, brown hair flying around his face, and Edward held her tightly, her wrists in his hands and his body pinned against hers.

"Let…Go!" Bella screamed, trying to kick him in his groin but he leaned back, just in time as her leg lifted. "Edward!" She hissed, bumping her body into his in hope that his grip would loosen, but it never even faltered.

She did, however, calm down once she figured that he wasn't letting go. Once her body had relaxed somewhat, Edward pinned himself right against her, the air leaving her mouth in a soft breath. His nose skimmed down her cheek, and somehow in the mix of all this anger and wrath – the two of them began to feel desire.

"You think…" Edward began in a soft whisper against her ear, his breath causing her to shudder. "That this is all just so I could save my ass?" He paused, allowing her to answer but Bella had no words. "Well, then I'm sorry disappoint you Isabella, but that is the exact opposite of what I'm afraid of. You see, I deserve to be put in a cell and rot for the rest of my existence, and I know this – I'm aware of it. After all the shit I have done, I know that I should be withering away in prison. And when or if it happens, I will be taken in easily, because I have already dug my grave. But since it hasn't happened yet, then I'm going to do everything in my power to try and avoid it. And the only reason why I want to avoid it is because of you. The only thing I'm afraid of is not _ever_ being able to see you again. So yes, in some sort of way I am afraid of them hauling my ass into jail – but it isn't the reasons why you think it is."

Bella squirmed gently in his grip, melting at his words as she felt a familiar spark brewing deep down in her belly, and hating herself for feeling this way – especially in these circumstances.

"I'm trying to save myself so we can be together. Because if they catch me – that's it. You'll never see me again. Do you want that Isabella?" Edward breathed against her skin, his right hand letting go of her wrist as his hand skimmed down her waist. "Do you want me to get caught? Do you want them to separate us? Do you never want to see me again?"

Bella couldn't think – let alone speak. Her body was responding to his, pressing against his own as her now free hand reached out to touch him – feeling the electricity spark between the two of them. Bella took in a deep breath, shaking her head quickly.

"Say it. Out loud." He growled as his palm went flat against her hip.

"No." She moaned gently, the vibrations of his growl sending shocks through her body. And as Edward heard her breathy moan, his other hand let go of her wrist and he quickly wrapped his arms around her thighs, pulling her up to wrap them around his waist, pinning her harder against the wall. One hand cradled her thigh, her legs hanging around him on their own as his hand went flat against the wall, next to her head.

"You have tested my patience today. I have _never_ met someone as infuriating as you." He leaned forward, pressing his lips against her jaw line and trailing down to her neck, biting gently on certain spots of her skin. Bella moaned loudly, her hands clutching his shoulders as she pulled herself to him.

"Maybe that's, ahh…" Bella paused, feeling Edward suck hard on the skin beneath her ear, "Maybe, it's why you love me so much. I'm a challenge."

Edward chuckled against her soft skin, pressing his evident arousal into her. "That you are." He agreed, tasting her skin some more. Bella was tired of his lack of lips on hers, she forcefully grabbed his chin in one hand to push her lips against his own. Edward groaned against her, causing Bella to squirm in anticipation as their lips vigorously attacked each other.

"Fuck." Edward muttered against her, pulling away to give them enough room to admire one another.

"Edward…" Bella began with a soft mewl, "I need you."

"I know." He said simply, reaching up to begin kissing her neck once again. Bella pulled him away though, looking deeply into his eyes.

"I'm sorry I went out. Forgive me." She said softly, running her fingers through his hair as her lips leaned down to press against his neck. "Please, make me feel forgiven. Make me feel good."

Edward groaned once again, gripping her waist tightly as his fingernails dug into her jeans. He knew that in this moment – this would not be the kind and gentle sex that they usually embarked in. This would be raw and open. This wouldn't be love making. This would be fucking.

"Baby… I need you to know… I'm not going to go easy, I can't." He shook his head. "I need to just…" He was at a loss of words – they were all caught in his throat.

"I know. Just let go. Take me with you." She told him with a seductive slur. Edward untangled her legs from his waist and he peeled them down and once her feet were on the floor and tugged hard on her jeans, the top button flying off into a direction that was unknown to both of them. Edward reached his hand forward, slipping in and underneath her, what felt like, lacey panties, pushing his hand right against her.

"Edward…" Bella whispered softly, grabbing his shoulders and holding onto him tightly.

"I know…" He replied, his fingers exploring farther into her. But then suddenly, Edward felt her small hands on his arm and she forced him out of his pants. Edward raised an eyebrow, watching as her hands dropped underneath his shirt, her fingers tracing up his abdominals and to his pectorals.

"Up." She demanded and Edward swallowed, hard. He raised his arms up and Bella lifted his shirt over his head just before leaning forward and pressing kisses along his upper chest, her fingers slipping over his bare biceps and very slowly she began sinking to the floor. Edward lost his breathing, choking loudly as he felt her tongue dart down his stomach, past his navel and to the tops of his pants where she began unbuckling.

"Bella…" He growled as a warning, but she didn't budge. She pushed his jeans down, her fingers roaming up and the tips of his boxers and very slowly, as she looked up at him through her lashes, pushed down the fabric and left him gloriously naked in front of him.

Edward would have stopped her – not liking the fact that she was on her knees, but he was too consumed with the look in her eyes, and the feeling in his body to stop it. And as he contemplated trying to move her from the floor to the bed, his eyes widened as he felt her mouth around his erection.

"_Fuck_." Edward hissed, his hand pounding down once on the wall in front of him. He made the mistake of looking down at her form, still fully clothed but magnificently beautiful, even with him in her mouth. She looked up at him, running her tongue up and down his length, stopping just past his tip and taking him back into her mouth. Edward groaned under his breath, snapping his eyes shut and clenching his fists together. He knew he wouldn't last long and he would be damned if this is how he was going to let go.

"Bella… Fuck, you need to stop or I'm going to…" He couldn't get the words out, because now Bella was bobbing her head at a quick pace, causing every single coherent thought out of his mind. He remembered – this was not about him. Not anymore. He quickly took a step back, just before that coil in his stomach sprang and he reached down, grabbing a very shocked Bella and pulling her up.

"I need you naked." He snarled, and the two of them hurriedly took off her clothes. Edward had _accidently_ popped the buttons off of her sweater while trying to take it off, and Bella gave him a stern look, though he was not sorry. His desire was controlling him now, and there was no turning back. Once she was completely naked, except for the glowing bracelets on her wrist, he took a step back – breathing her in just before growling deep in his chest.

"The table… _Now_." He growled and Bella felt her body warming at his dominant tone. He was never so blunt with her before, the two of them always being gentle and loving. And Bella couldn't help but admit that she liked this side of him. Just the thought of it brought a blush to her cheeks.

The two of them hurried to the small table and Edward grabbed her waist, turning her away from him, leaning her body over the table and giving him the full view of her back side. And Bella couldn't help but let out a soft moan filled with excitement for they had never done this position before. His hands had left her for only seconds, his footsteps pounding away and then returning so fast Bella at first thought she had imagined it.

His hands ran across her bare back, up and down her spine just before he leaned down to her ear. "I'm going to make you feel really fucking good. Are you ready?" He asked her, giving her a few seconds to decline him. She didn't. She only moaned in gratitude and nodded her head, pushing herself back into him.

"Patience." Edward hissed and ripped the condom wrapper between his teeth just before he rolled on the condom. With no time wasting, seconds later he was positioned behind her, Bella's stomach against the table, naked and waiting for him. He grabbed himself, and with one determined thrust – he was inside of her. The feeling to him and her was both overwhelming – almost nearly too much as they let out moans of satisfaction.

But he would not let that cloud his goal. He wanted her – he wanted her badly and she wanted him just as much. So instead of being washed away with the emotions, he rolled with them. He clung onto her hips and eased himself out only to ram himself harder back in. Bella let out a soft scream, leaning forward and grabbing the edge of the table to hold herself in one piece.

Edward continued these motions, faster and faster with every single thrust. They were gritty and rough; by this they could feel every single inch of each other. One hand of Edward's ran up Bella's bare back, to the back of her neck where he cupped it gently and continually crashed into her. Bella was biting her lip, trying to hold herself together so that they could fall apart with one another, but if he kept it up at this rate – she knew she wouldn't last.

She could feel everything. She could feel him physically, but feel him emotionally. She could feel his anger and his worry, his wrath and his desire. It was all balled up in one action, and Bella pushed her legs apart to feel more of it, to feel more of him. She just couldn't get enough.

He was her drug, she was the addict.

"Oh, god. Edward…" Bella moaned, running her fingers through her hair to get it out of her face.

"Fuck, I know." He gritted through his teeth.

"It feels…" Bella mewled, not being able to finish her sentence as a wave of pleasure hit her. It didn't take her – merely just washed over her body. She let out a loud wail, her stomach pushing into the coldness of the table. "Harder." She whispered.

"Harder?" Edward asked, not knowing if he could go any harder than he already was.

She nodded. "Faster."

"_Shit_. I don't think…"

"_Please_." She cried out.

He granted her wish and gripped her even tighter, his fingernails digging into her skin as he plummeted into her. Bella chanted his name like a prayer, motivating him to go faster even though she knew he was teetering on the edge.

"Baby… I can't…" Edward moaned, feeling the spark in his stomach flaring up dangerously, his body beginning to lose control. "If I go any faster, I'm going to cum. I can't hold it back anymore. Please, fucking get there."

"I'm there." Bella moaned with a nod, "I'm so there. Faster. Please."

Edward's eyes rolled into the pack of his head and he increased his pace, the mixture of their wetness causing slapping noises in the quite home. Bella's body was gently sliding against the table now due to the sweat and she reached back to grab his hand that rested on her hips.

"Edward, please." Bella cried out in a plea.

"Fuck!" He grounded as he went so fast that at some point he was sure he nearly blacked out. He kept his pace and eventually the two of them were exploding in euphoric bliss, loud and flustered wails leaving their mouths as they tried to hold themselves in a desperate attempt of staying close while letting go.

"Edward!" Bella screamed, still unraveling from her high. "Oh, god. _Edward_. I'm still… I can't stop…" She cried, reaching behind her to cling onto his form that had now fallen on top of hers. It was like a freight train going and going – it never ceased to stop, and they didn't want it to. It felt too good. They continued to cry out, clinging to each other as their breathing was ragged. Their bodies were coated with sweat, slipping and sliding against each other but never losing contact. Eventually though, Edward rode out his orgasm with her, their bodies calming and relaxing with every breath that was synchronized with each other, his head leaning down to spread kisses around her exposed shoulder. Edward's heart pounded, and Bella could feel it against her back, but she was too salted with sex to even comment on it, on how he is making hers beat just as fast.

Suddenly, Bella felt being lifted by none other than the arms of her lover. He cradled her gently and she leaned forward and nuzzled his neck, kissing the skin and tasting the saltiness of it. Moments later he laid her down in the bed, removing the condom before slipping in beside her. They were facing each other, but Edward brought their bodies closer so that they were cradled within each other. Bella raked her fingers along his neck, leaning up into his hair to play with the copper strands.

The minutes began to pass, but words still stayed silent. Their actions, as hard and rough they may have been, was all that needed to be said. All that pent up anger was released in one exhilarated moment and the stress on both of their shoulders seemed to have lifted. An hour or so had flown by them, but the two lovers were content in being in each other's arms, holding and hugging.

"Hmm." Bella murmured contently, her voice satisfied as a small smile played on her lips. "Our first fight."

"Just because you blindsided me with your sexual prowess, doesn't mean you're off the hook." Edward said sternly but a small hint of playfulness filtered in his voice as he toyed with the bracelets on her wrist, wondering about them but not questioning, knowing where she got them from. "But I have to admit, that make up sex was…"

"Amazing?" Bella giggled, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to his bare chest.

"Among other things." He smirked, his hand leaning down and stroking up and down her back feeling the lining of her spine, his fingers moving softly over the bumps. "Maybe we should fight more often."

"Well, let's just not make a habit of it." Bella took in a deep breath, snuggling herself closer to him, her arm wrapping around his waist and her lips to his neck. "But you can man handle me like that anytime you want."

"Yeah? You liked that?" Edward smirked and Bella nodded with a shy smile. "I always knew you were some kind of freak. I bet you have weird fetishes too. Like… Chaining men up and whipping them or something."

Bella looked up at him, her brows furrowed and her lips pursed – her face completely and totally disgusted. "How did you know?" She laughed sarcastically just before resting her head back in the crook of his neck. "I have no kinds of fetishes. At least that I'm not aware of. I am kind of new to all things sex related." Edward froze, his hand stopping on her mid back as he lost his breath. _Does that mean she was_… Bella noticed his rigid stance and she looked back up to him, "What? What's wrong?"

"Bella…" He whispered, looking down into her eyes. "The first time we…" He paused, his body shifting towards her, "Were you a… _Virgin_?" He gulped on the last word. It wouldn't have been a bad thing if she was, he just figured she wasn't. Most women her age aren't, but you can never be too certain. They never talked about it, and when they decided to have sex for the first time it was very early in their relationship. He didn't regret it. The only regret he had was, if she were a virgin, that he didn't make it more special for her.

"You wish." Bella laughed, shaking her head. Edward let out a breath of relief, but at the same time felt a twinge of jealousy. He had been with many women before Bella, so it really wasn't fair he was getting jealous of the ones she had been with before him. He didn't expect her to wait for him when she didn't even know he existed, let alone him unaware of her existence.

"Well, then what do you mean your new at all things sexual related?" He asked, feeling and watching her pull away just to give her enough room to set her elbow onto the pillow, and rest her left cheek into her palm. She bit at her lip, something she did when she was nervous – Edward had noticed. He smiled, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to her arm. "What is it?"

"Before you had sex your first time, all you heard about it was that it was so good, right?" She asked, and he nodded. "And that's why people do it all the time because it makes you feel good. And I remember all my friends in high school telling me how great it was and how much they loved it. So when my boyfriend and I decided to take that step, I was in the mind state that it would be _mind-blowingly_ amazing." She laughed, remembering back to that day, "But it was… Horrible. It was painful at first and when the pain stopped he just couldn't…" Bella went quiet, her cheeks turning red as she played with the sheets underneath them.

"What?" Edward asked with an encouraging nudge for her to continue.

"He couldn't… I just…" Bella struggled for the words, and it finally had connected in Edward's mind. He smirked widely and Bella, if possible, turned even redder.

"He couldn't get you off?" He said simply, and she nodded. "Did he get off?"

"Within two minutes of starting." She rolled her eyes. "It was… Awkward and terrible, but of course he thought it was the greatest thing ever while I laid next to him, thinking how in the hell anyone could enjoy _that_." She laughed, reaching forward and began to draw invisible shapes on his chest with her right hand. "That was my senior year of high school. And after that I had only been with two other guys, who fortunately lasted longer but couldn't fulfill my needs."

"So what you are saying is I am the first man to ever give you an orgasm? Successfully?" Edward asked, his chest swelling with pride, and Bella nodded forcing Edward to grin widely, smugly.

"Oh, please. Do not get such a big head about this. Before you, I was able to fulfill my own needs by myself." She challenged with a smirk and Edward's jaw dropped, feeling his body react that the thought of her touching herself.

"Fuck, you can't say that to me. All sorts of different ideas just popped in my head." He told her with a chuckle, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to her lips. "So, do I get some kind of a prize? Some kind of award for being your first _per say_?" He asked with a wicked grin. Bella nodded slowly, running her arm around him once again and pulling her chest to his.

"You get me." She said softly, tilting her head back to look up at him. Edward smiled down at her, reaching forward to brush back a loose strand, tucking it behind her ear just before leaning forward and pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"That's the best prize of all." He murmured, and the two of them settled down back into the bed, holding each other and relishing in each other's presence. It wasn't until moments later, that words were spoken again.

"Edward?" Bella asked and paused just for a moment before continuing, "I'm sorry. For everything. I didn't mean to put us at risk. I won't leave again." Edward stayed silent, his head tilted to press a kiss to the top of her head, his fingers still lovingly stroking her back. "And I'm sorry I slapped you."

Edward chuckled, smiling against the top of her head as he shook his own. "I deserved it. I shouldn't have called you what I did."

"No one deserves to be slapped, Edward." Bella said softly, running her fingers along his biceps.

"No, you did the right thing. You knocked some sense into me. I'm sorry I said it. You know I didn't mean it, right?" He asked, looking down to her. She nodded her head slowly, gripping onto his bicep but she stayed silent.

"Edward," She finally muttered through a soft whisper, "Earlier when you told me to go home…" She paused before taking a deep breath, not very sure of wanting to hear this answer. "Did you really want me to go?"

The wariness in her voice was the first thing Edward caught, the timid and shyness peaking through the question. A soft sigh escaped his lips and Edward reached down, tucking away a strand hair that stuck to her forehead. He didn't say anything though for a moment, and just reveled in her beauty. A small smile filtered across his lips and he leaned forward, pressing them to her nose.

"If I had my way, I _would _hold you hostage." He whispered, seeing her smile sweetly. "But I'm too involved with you to do that. I want to see you flourish. And you can't do that here. So yes, in a way I meant it."

"You don't want me to go, but you don't want me to stay." It wasn't a question; she was merely stating a fact as she played with his still damp hair.

"The selfish part of me wants you to stay. It never wants you to leave." He said softly, brushing his fingers along the pale skin of her arm, leaving a trail of sparks in their wake. "But the better part of me wants you to go home. Not because I don't want you anymore, but because there is nothing here for you."

"That's not true." Bella said quickly. "You're here. You're all I need."

Edward smirked, leaning down to press a kiss to the tip of her nose. "The sooner you leave, the sooner we can be together again."

"I don't want to leave." Bella said softly, her eyes casting down to his bare chest as she ran her fingers through the small amount of chest hair that was there.

"I don't want you to leave either. But it has to happen. You know it does." Edward told her gently. "You have to go home. Your family needs you."

"But I need _you_!" Bella said, shooting up from her laying position. Edward watched her, bewildered at her sudden reaction. "Don't you get it? I'm trapped there! I'm my mother's play thing, her very own life size doll. I don't get to do the things I want to do because I have to carry on this lifestyle just for Phil. I hate it there! I hate having to be dressed up like some kind of goddamn princess when all I want to do is lay around in jeans and a shirt and read a book or write some poems, or even grow a freaking garden – I don't know!" Bella was frantically running her hands through her hair, trying to wield herself to calm down, but nothing was working. Edward sat up on his elbows, watching her as she cradled into herself, bringing her knees up to her chest as her arms went around her legs. "I'm not myself there. I'm just… Phil Dwyer's _stepdaughter_. Here, I feel like myself. I feel like _Bella_. I don't have to hide who I am. I just… I've always wanted that. _Always_." A lonesome tear fell from Bella's eye and Edward reached up, swiping it away. Bella turned her head to him, more tears streaming down her cheeks. "Please, don't take that away from me. I can't… I want to stay here… I want to be with you." Her tears were now fear falling and he watched as his beautiful angel broke down in front of him.

It was in this moment that Edward could see the fragileness that his lover seemed to hide. She was so brave, so brazen. Even when she was kidnapped. She didn't take shit from anyone – he loved that about her. But she was wearing a mask – it was all a mask to hide away the truth and the pain. She wasn't the spoiled little rich girl he first thought she was. She was the exact opposite. She wanted out of that lifestyle, she hated every single moment of it and it was driving her to the brink of insanity. She wanted him. She wanted to be normal, with him. It set his chest swelling, his heart beating fast. He knew she had to go home, and deep down she knew she had to go home. But right now, he would not upset her with that truth and he would just let her be.

Edward wrapped his arm around his crying lover, pulling her to his chest as he kissed the top of her head, coaxing her to relax. "Bella, _my Isabella_. Everything will be alright. I promise." He whispered, raining kisses over her face gingerly. Bella seemed to relax, and she brought herself into him, feeling the two of them lay back down onto the bed, holding each other closely and never wanting to let go.

* * *

**Author's Note; Phew. Is it hot in here, or is this just me? *fans self*.**

**So, that was some major lemons. For me that wasn't even lemons. That was like a fucking watermelon. **

**And can I just say, before ANYONE freaks out… Jasper is neither a bad guy nor a love interest for Bella. I'm stating this because I know someone is going to say something about him that involves those two predictions. **

**And I know, Bella seems very stubborn right now with her whole 'I can't leave you' bit. Keep in mind that she feels very comfortable with Edward, which is why she is so reluctant to leave. I don't want you guys to peg her as annoying or unable to live without him. She just hasn't experienced life like his in a very long time. So keep that in mind as chapters go on. **

**I hope you guys enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.**

**Big fucking thanks to my beta Lauren, who knocked this chapter out within a few hours. **

**And thanks to you guys for reading. **

**Remember to leave a review,  
****and I'll sent out review replies soon with a sneak peak to the next chapter!**

**xoxo  
****shelby **


	21. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

"Edward." Bella groaned inwardly, but a hidden smirk played on her lips at the feel of his mouth on her neck. "I'm trying to read."

"Am I distracting you?" He murmured against her skin.

"Clearly." She stated, rolling her eyes, fingering the pages of her book. Edward was hanging over the top of the chair she was curled on, his lips pressing softly against the skin of her neck, "Aren't you going out running?"

"Mhm." Edward mumbled, continually kissing the skin underneath her ear causing her to let out a fit of giggles that she was seconds later ashamed of. Edward smirked though, relishing in the fact that he was making her laugh like that.

"Then go!" She laughed, hitting him with her book.

"But you're just so tempting. How could I possibly leave you here?" He asked, leaning around and down next to the chair.

"I'm reading a book. I didn't know that qualified as sexy." She giggled, shaking her head as she reached forward pushing away a strand hair that hung in his face.

"Everything you do is sexy, haven't you learned that by now?" He smirked, leaning forward and pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. Very slowly he paused, bringing his fisted hand to his mouth and gently biting down onto it.

Bella raised a curious brow at his very weird stance, "What's wrong?"

"A very erotic fantasy of you as a librarian just popped in my head." He said quietly, letting out the softest groan.

"You are such a male." She rolled her eyes.

"I can't help it! It just fucking happens!" He laughed, his laughter forcing her to let out a fit of giggles. They were always bouncing off each other – always in tune with one another.

"Just leave." Bella said, waving him off to the door.

"Alright, but I'll be back in an hour. Please, try and stay out of trouble, for everyone's sake." He said, whistling for his dog who came running out of the bedroom. He leaned down and hooked the leash onto his collar.

"I think my days of sneaking out are over." She told him with a smirk, "But it wouldn't hurt to go one more time." She said jokingly with a shrug.

"Please, Bella, for the love of –" He began, but was interrupted.

"I'm kidding. I'm not going anywhere. I'll just sit here and read. You go out. Have fun on your run." She said, shooing him away. Edward smirked and gripped his shirt, ready to pull it off just before Bella let out a soft gasp. "I don't think so." She laughed humorlessly. "The shirt stays on."

"What?" Edward laughed, dropping his half risen shirt back down. "Why? It's fucking hot out there! Do you know how rare it is to get a hot day in Seattle? I'm going to use this sun to my full advantage."

"I don't care. Girls will just fling themselves at you, I don't like that." She said shaking her head. "Shirt stays on."

"Fuck, you're sexy when you're jealous." Edward smirked impishly.

"Not jealous. Cautious. There's a difference." She said with a stern nod. Edward laughed, rolling his eyes before leaning down and pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

"Whatever you say, baby. I'll be back in an hour, alright?" He said, whistling at Russell who was being petted by Bella. "Please, stay here. Don't go out."

"Edward." Bella growled, narrowing her eyes at him.

He lifted his hands in defense, then headed out of the door with Russell by his side. Once Edward had left, Bella continued reading through her book, flipping through the pages she had read over numerous of times. Sometimes, she never read the complete books. If she had read them before she would just skim to her favorite parts, like now. She was reading _The Great Gatsby_, and something about Gatsby's love for Daisy always struck a sore spot with Bella.

Poor Gatsby was in love with a woman too far out of his reach. She had loved him too, once upon a time – but now she was married. He tried with all his might to get her back – to win her over. Bella sighed gently, brushing past another page only to stop and gasp. She felt her skin tear from the paper, the sting lasting only a few seconds before fading away, though the blood was mistakenly there. She had a very deep paper cut – one she could even believe produced _that_ much blood.

She dropped her book and stood from the chair and headed into the bathroom where she turned on the cold water and ran her finger under it. She glanced around the bathroom, trying to look for a cover for her cut. She turned off the water and looked underneath the sink only to find nothing there.

Bella rummaged through Edward's bathroom, sucking on her finger that leaked the blood. He had to have _some_ kind of band-aid in here. With his lifestyle, she wouldn't be surprised if she found a first aid kit in every single room. She made sure not to mess anything up, knowing his OCD tendencies. He had never admitted it to her to her face, but she had spent enough time with her mother to know the symptoms. She placed everything back in order just before giving up and shutting the mirror.

She wanted to call him and ask if he kept them anywhere else, but she didn't have any way to reach him besides the pager – plus it really wasn't that big of a deal. Only a small paper cut she could wrap around in damp paper towel.

Bella headed out of the bathroom, glancing around once more before turning off the lights. She froze though – right in the doorway, her hand still on the switch and slowly she lifted it up, turning her head to look on the wall near the shower. It was a small cabinet. Her finger was still bleeding, now dripping small drops to the floor and she decided she would look in cabinet first. She went into the kitchen and grabbed a chair from the table, sliding it in through the bedroom and into the bathroom where she placed it right underneath the cabinet.

She jumped onto the chair, opening the cabinet to only see extra towels stacked neatly and folded. She sighed loudly, bringing her finger up to her mouth to suck on once again.

She noticed that it had stopped bleeding and now this task had just become useless. Just as Bella was stepping down to wash the dry blood from her finger, the doorbell rang causing Bella to jump, grabbing a hold of the cabinet and the towels inside, all of them plus a basket filled with different sorts of items falling down onto the floor with her.

She threw her hands out before hitting the ground, her knees though not being able to be saved from the fall. Items began raining around her, hitting her head and pounding against the floor. When every went silent again besides the doorbell that continually rung, Bella let out a very soft groan, pain surging around her palms and knee caps. She slowly began sitting up against the wall, bringing her legs forward to see her knees red and swollen. She sighed softly, rubbing them gently with her just as red palms.

The doorbell continued to ring, Bella slowly started to bring herself up from the floor. She ignored the door realizing that it was more than likely Edward's neighbor with his mail again. Her suspicions were confirmed when Edward's neighbor, Riley, began calling out for him from the other side of the door. Bella ignored him and stared down at the mess she had made. A small blue basket lay near the door, its items that it held inside were scattered along the black tile. Bella grabbed the blue basket and began putting things like razors, unopened soap boxes, and toothbrushes back into it. She reached for a bottle that sat near her knee and picked it up, twisting it around so she could see the front of it.

It was a prescription bottle, but the top of the label was ripped off. She could, though, see the type of medicine it was which read in small black letters _trazodone._

She stared at it for a moment, looking inside to only see a few more pills left. She wondered for a moment what it was, what it could be, and what happened in order for Edward to take it. The pills were small, and she thought for a moment that it could be for some kind of painkiller for some injury. With his lifestyle, Bella knew that he must go through painkillers more than the average person – with that thought she set the bottle back into the basket jumped up onto the chair and slid it into it's rightful place and folded the towels back in front of it, shutting the cabinet door.

The doorbell continued to ring, and Bella finally stepped out to the sitting area where Riley spoke through the door.

"Come on, Edward. I found a new strip joint! My brother's friend works there, he can get us backstage! Come on you fucking pussy!" He yelled as Bella stood on the other side of the door, holding her hand over her mouth as she tried to stifle her laughs. This guy was a riot – the way he spoke, the way he was talking to Edward when he clearly wasn't home. "Fine, fuck you! I'll get the girls to myself!" Riley huffed and Bella listened as he stomped off down the hall.

Across the street of the apartment complex rested a dark car in between an ally. A mysterious man sat in the front seat, holding a cigarette between his lips as he watched the building with his hawk eyes. The front door of the building had opened, and the man slid down his sunglasses as he watched a blonde male walk out of the complex. The mysterious man glanced down at his notes, realizing that this man fit the description of Riley Biers, the only other resident on the tenth floor.

The mysterious man took his cigarette from his smirking lips and crushed it down on the ashtray.

Bella curled on the bed, her back against the headrest as she flipped through the pages of _The Great Gatsby_. Her lip occasionally sucking between her teeth as she came to one of her favorite parts in particular, the one with the confrontation between Gatsby, Daisy and Tom. The sun was beginning to set; it's rays warming her legs from the window and coloring them a yellowish-orange. Bella innocently stayed seated on the bed, reading away and waiting for Edward to return from his run with Russell.

Down a few blocks, Edward ran in the park with Russell on the leash, with the setting sun shining down on them. He passed a few other runners, though most were female and attempting to get his attention, Edward just cruised on by – finishing his exercise through the park.

As for the mysterious man who watched the apartment, he finally decided to make his move. He casually shoved his hands into his pockets, whistling as he walked across the street and pass other pedestrians until he reached the door of the apartment building. The man huffed at the laid back look of the complex, but noticed the man at the main desk, which was only one plain table with a very ancient computer on top, was busy with a female who demanded that he fix her air system in her apartment at once or she would take herself elsewhere to live.

The mysterious man slid past the desk and into the stairwell that was opposite from the elevators. There were eight rooms on each floor, if he was correct, then from the view of his target's window would place him on the tenth floor on the farthest room to the right, giving him the perfect view of Lake Union. The mysterious man flew up the stairs and ran straight to the eighth floor, knowing he had only a limited amount of time before his plan could potentially be ruined.

Edward paced him and Russell down to a slow jog, the two of them panting and heaving at their intense jog. Edward stopped for a moment, only to grab a drink at the public fountain which he normally wouldn't use but considering he brought no water with him, he had to settle with it. He splashed some water onto Russell who relished in it appreciatively. With one last drink, Edward pushed off the fountain and started back into a walking pace.

He stopped though – something had caught his eye. A piece of paper wafting in the wind as it was stapled against a tree. Edward walked closer to the sign that he could now clearly see. Russell whined at his side but Edward ignored him, grabbing the piece of paper and ripping it from the bark.

He recognized the face anywhere – it's the one he last saw before he falls asleep and first sees when he awakes. Isabella's parents were now so desperate that they put out fliers around town. Edward gulped and ran his finger against her picture and looked down to the writing underneath it.

_**Missing.**_

_**Isabella Marie Swan.**_

_**Last seen May 31**__**st**__** 2010.**_

_**If anyone knows whereabouts please call the number below.**_

Edward re-read the text over and over again, ignoring that Russell was whining beside him for some unknown reason.

_This is your first sign, Cullen. She needs to go back._

He was at war with himself – his selfish part wanting to keep her to himself, his better part – his better side, the blessed side, is whispering to him to do the right thing. Isabella may not think it's the right thing, but Edward knows she must return home. This time around though, his selfish side was able to shrug it off and continue running as he dropped the piece of paper, letting it fall slowly to the ground.

Bella's eyes were slowly closing, her body relaxing as it began to sink farther into the sheets. The book had fallen from her hands and onto the bed with a soft _thud_. The only sounds were the ticking of the clock and the noises outside of the apartment. Those were the only sounds, up until a scraping could be heard on the other side of the front door. In fact it was quite loud, waking Bella from her quiet nap. She picked up her book and set it on the bed side table and stood up, heading quietly out from the bedroom.

The scraping had gotten louder, Bella wondered it were just someone's cat – or some kind of animal on the other side trying to get in. She knew it couldn't possibly be Edward – he had his own key. Why would he be _scratching_? Bella tip-toed to the door and set her palms against it. She gulped softly just before looking into the peep hole. No one was there, she wondered if she were just hearing things.

That was until a dark figure flashed in front of the hole, Bella let out a soft gasp, covering her mouth as she jumped back. The scratching stopped and Bella stood still, she slowly began walking back towards the door – shaking as she brought her head back up and looking into the peep hole – this time she could see who clearly was on the other side. And it wasn't a cat. It was a man, a tall brown haired man, who held something that looked like a nail file in his hands and reached up as he toyed with the top lock.

Bella stepped back quietly, frozen in fear. She wanted to move, she wanted to hide, but everything was going in such slow motion that she couldn't even think about moving. She was stuck in one spot, she watched in horror as the top lock turned with a soft _click_. It didn't take long after that for the doorknob lock to turn, during this time Bella had finally began functioning again – the shock of what was happening beginning to wear off, her body beginning to respond instinctually to the situation.

She took one step at a time, knowing she couldn't run incase he possibly heard her, so she slowly began to back away. That was until the door opened, the only thing that was separating the man from her was the door that was stuck on the chain lock.

Bella knew what he was going to do before it happened. She turned on her heels, but knew she didn't have enough time to flee to the bedroom before he broke through the chain. Bella swooped for the large chair just as the door pounded open with a loud crack, the chain flying across the room and scattering across the floor.

Bella stayed put behind the chair, covering her mouth to stop herself from whimpering. She heard footsteps – loud but slow. He seemed to be traveling away from her, towards the kitchen as he began rummaging through things. Her heart was pounding. Pounding so fast that it was beginning to hurt her chest, for a moment she was scared that he could actually hear it.

The mysterious man began rummaging through the cabinets, pulling out drawers and flinging silverware onto the ground. He wanted to find something, _anything_, to prove that he was right. He opened up the cabinets around the sink, not giving a care in the world at how sloppy he was being.

Bella stayed put, frozen, as she heard clattering from the kitchen. Single tears rolled down her face, her body in shock mode trying so hard to go back into survival mode. Slowly, ever so slowly, Bella began to turn her head, peeking her head out to the side. The man was not facing her instead, rummaging through different things in the kitchen. Bella watched in curiosity and fear as he threw things to the ground, huffing in disappointment.

Bella's eyes squinted as she noticed something on his neck; it looked small but not normal. She leaned herself closer. His brown hair in the way, but the way he moved forced it to pull back so she could see what she was trying to make out. Her heart nearly stopped. The markings were four holes vertically up his neck. They were small, almost blackish against his white skin. It almost looked as if someone had stabbed him – with a fork.

Bella felt nauseated, she quickly brought her hands up to her mouth to hold down the bile that was making its way up.

_It's the brown eyed man_.

The revelation was something she could have gone without knowing. She leaned back against the chair and tried her hardest not to cry, but she knew this was it. _Brown eyes_ was going to find her, she was going to be taken back that horrid place. Edward would be killed for going against them, undoubtedly, they knew this is where Edward lived.

This was _no_ coincidence.

Her only hope was that Edward would somehow sense her fear – sense her need for him to help her. She knew that it was impossible. She also knew she couldn't live if she was taken back there – or if Edward was hurt in anyway. She had to save herself.

A few blocks away Edward and Russell were making their walk back home on the side walk. This time Edward stopped to grab a water bottle and drank it nearly all down until he stopped to offer some to Russell who was panting. Russell didn't want the water, he continued walking – he clearly wanted to get home.

"Suit yourself. More for me." Edward shrugged as they continued to walk through the semi-busy sidewalk. Russell began tugging more forcefully, nearly tripping over people who were walking in the opposite direction. This caught Edward's attention and he quickly whistled at his dog who stopped immediately. "Settle down, Russell." Edward told him. Russell went back to a casual walk but cried softly.

As they continued walking past different buildings, Russell kept up with his odd behavior but stupidly Edward ignored it, drinking the last of his water before stopping to throw it away. Something had stopped him – he looked up to see the electronics' store near his home, TV's in the windows showing the local news.

There was a man in a police uniform speaking, a woman and another man behind him. Edward tilted his head at the woman who looked vaguely familiar – almost too familiar. Russell cried, tugging against his leash but Edward shushed him strictly and looked back to the many TV's that showed the man talking to what looked like a crowd of people. He couldn't hear him, but the captions underneath his picture told him what he was saying. The man also looked familiar – his brown eyes telling him a story he has seen before. The woman behind the man had dark brown hair, her face shaped in a very familiar way. She almost looked like an older version of…

The captions caught his eye as the name _Isabella_ popped up.

_It has been nearly two and a half months since we lost our daughter. And all we ask of you, to the people at home is to watch out for our Bella. Since we have lost contact with the kidnappers we have no idea where she is and even for that matter if she is alive. But we are keeping up hope, and we only ask for you help be our eyes, and look out for our lost daughter…_

Edward was frozen as the captions went away and the headline _Isabella Swan Still Missing_, _Parent's Speak Out_ reading across the bottom of the screen. Because Edward was lost in the news, he didn't even notice the fact that Russell started a round of furious barking, starting in the direction of the apartment complex. Foolishly ignoring his dog, Edward watched as the camera panned closer to Bella's mother, who was just as beautiful despite the fact for her sad eyes that were blotched with tears. When asked if she wanted to say a word, she refused, the anchor woman began to mention something about the fact she was too distraught and emotional to even speak at the loss of her daughter.

_That's sign number two._

Before Edward had time to even begin the battle once again of good and evil, right and wrong, his arm was roughly tugged to the side and he lost his balance as the leash forcefully pulled out of his hand. He caught himself on the side of the building before falling face down, hearing screams and complaints just before looking up to see Russell shooting off into the streets.

"Russell!" Edward yelled loudly, but the dog didn't stop and continued to knock people down in his way. Edward found his balance once again, ignoring the numerous of people who yelled at him to get his dog under control and began running for Russell.

Felix had continued his search in Edward's apartment, opening drawers and cabinets and rummaging through items. He began to groan in defeat and opened one last drawer from the kitchen.

Bella stared straight at the open bedroom, seeing the bedside table and knowing what was inside of the door of it. If she could just get in there without being seen she could open it up and find the pager that Edward had given her when she was still in that vile room. Bella looked back at the brown eyed man who continued to go through the drawers, his back facing her.

She took in a deep breath, staring at the bedside table and slowly began to work herself onto her knees. The man was still in his own world, trying to find whatever it was he was looking for as Bella got down onto her hands and into a crawling position. Slowly she began moving, the front of her body in complete view. She stopped suddenly when he did and closed her eyes tightly, knowing that she couldn't back out now.

As quietly as possible she began moving again, thanking whatever higher power there was that Edward didn't have creaky floorboards. Now, her whole body was in view and she knew she couldn't go back. It was now or never, and she continued fourth only mere inches from the bedroom. She eyed her goal and didn't look back; knowing that she had to get there as quickly as possible and she couldn't waste any precious time.

Finally she had made it into the bedroom and slowly but surely she made it to the bedside table where she opened the drawer as quietly as she could. The pager was placed right at the top and she grabbed it quickly just before closing the door and heading into the direction of the open closet.

Felix continued going through papers and junk before finally setting his eyes on something familiar. A very dark chuckle rumbled through his mouth and he knew he had the proof he needed. He grabbed the keys from the drawer, noticing that these weren't just any set of keys. These were _his_ keys. These were the keys that had mysteriously vanished the day the girl disappeared. And he found them _here_, in Edward's apartment. He smirked spitefully at Edward's soon demise.

Just as he gripped his keys into his palms and decided to leave, he stopped at something that caught his eye. Hanging over a chair was a bra. Felix eyed it curiously and walked closer to it, hooking his finger and wrapping it around the bra strap. He held it up and stared at it just before leaning in and smelling it. It smelled… _Familiar_.

Bella had huddled herself into the closet, sliding the door close as softly as she could. The light of the lamp shined through the shades of the door, causing streaks of light in the closet, causing streaks of brightness to glow on her pale skin. She looked down at the pager and quickly pressed the small red button under the screen over and over and over again.

Felix continued to hold the bra strap in his finger. He looked around the area, pushing the chair with his foot only to show a pair of shoes under the table. _Converses_. That couldn't possibly be Edward's for they were way too small and way too _familiar_.

That's when Felix smirked inwardly and stared up around the home, dropping the bra to the floor as he began to click his tongue.

"Oh, _Isabella_." The voice carried out, causing Bella to freeze. "Come on out and play." His voice was low and thick and openly exposing the fact that he didn't want to play nice.

Bella let out a soft and silent sob as she continued to hit the red button over and over again in some attempt that Edward could get the message so many times that he would have to figure something was wrong. But what Bella didn't know was that hitting the button so many times could cause the pager to malfunction and overheat, thus by doing this could cause a reaction of it – a reaction to let out a loud beeping noise that traveled out of the closet and through the small home.

Edward chased his dog straight through the crowds, yelling out his name repeatedly and wondering what had frightened him to the point where he had to run off. He was almost about to give up – until he realized that Russell wasn't running _away_. He was running _back_ to the apartment. It was during this realization that in his front pocket of his shorts his phone began going ballistic. He continued to run after his dog but was able to multi task and pull out his cell phone, watching as numerous calls came in from his pager. And they wouldn't stop. It came in at least a hundred times before it finally went silent.

Edward stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, trying to make sense of what the hell was going on. That's when he realized that something was wrong. An overwhelming sense came over him, he had finally gotten the point that his pager wasn't acting up – that this was Bella, calling out for help.

He was only a few buildings away from his apartment and as quickly as he could he shot off again, ignoring the searing pain traveling in his legs. He ran towards the apartment, only seconds of ramming into people and pushing pass them did he reach the complex. He opened the glass door, hearing the barks of Russell from the other side of the main desk.

"Edward!" Laurent called out in anger, "How many times have I told you to put that dog on a fucking leash? He nearly knocked me down! What if it was someone who lived here? You could get evicted for that shit!" Laurent continued to scream but Edward ignored him, whistling for his dog who ran over to him and Edward continually began pressing the elevator button. When it was too slow, Edward whistled for Russell to follow and the two ran to the door of the stairwell and both headed all the way up to the eighth floor.

Bella had torn open the pager, the back of it flinging off and her body pushing back to the corner of the closet, trying to be as far as away from the door as possible. Felix walked into the bedroom, smirking as he glanced around the room.

"I know you're in here, Bella. Come on out. I won't bite. _Hard_." He teased, looking at the closed closet door and then to the bathroom. He headed for that first and Bella relaxed the tiniest bit but still knew she still wasn't safe as she watched him from the slits of the closet door. Felix pounded open the bathroom door, harshly pulling back the door of the shower and Bella flinched as she heard the glass of the door crack.

Felix huffed and turned back towards the closet across the room, a small smile spreading as he knew that she couldn't be anywhere else, but there. Bella watched in horror as he moved towards her, silent tears streaming down her face as she tried to find something to use to protect herself. She wouldn't go down without a fight – not if Edward's life was at risk, but she couldn't seem to find anything – and all hope was lost.

She would be taken. And Edward would be punished.

Felix moved closer, almost floating – slithering like a snake. His dark eyes bore right into the closet – right into her eyes. And even though he couldn't see her, she knew that he knew he was staring right at her – right into her petrified eyes. She stood still, tears falling down her cheeks as he got closer, closer to the small indent of the handle, closer until his hand was touching it. Bella turned her head, closing her eyes and awaited for him to open up and grab her.

"Come on out you little bitch." He hissed ready to open the door, but suddenly a loud growl and nails furiously scratching at the floor had caused him to turn his head.

A dog came pounding into the house and lunged straight at Felix who instinctively put his hands up. The dog jumped, throwing him down onto the ground as his jaw locked onto his arm, tearing into the fabric and soon flesh. Felix let out an agonizing yell as the dog snarled, continually ripping his teeth into the skin of his arm, and he soon began drawing blood. Felix lifted his leg, kicking the dog in the gut which forced him to cry out and fall back, giving Felix time to stand back up and protect himself. But Felix lost his balance and fell back against the bed, watching as the dog stood in front of the closet; his pointed ears set back, blood splaying on the fur underneath his mouth, his canines showing dangerously and a loud growl rumbling in his throat.

That was Felix's only concern up until he heard the click of a gun to the side of him. He didn't have to turn to know that it was Edward, the barrel of his gun pointed straight at his head. Felix lifted his hands in surrender, but the dog let out a loud and furious bark.

"Always nice to see you, Edward." Felix laughed bitterly. There was a spark of fear laying in his voice and Edward took a step closer just as Felix turned to look at him.

"How did you find me?" Edward said with a hard voice. He wasn't going to play along with his games.

"It wasn't hard." Felix told him.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't blow your brains out." He asked taking yet another step closer.

"Don't want to get your pretty hands dirty, Edward. Think about what this would cause." Felix tried to weasel his way out of this one, but Edward wouldn't have it. "You don't want blood on your hands."

"I have plenty of blood on my hands. One more set doesn't change a thing." Edward growled, and Felix looked down to see the dog step closer to him as well. He was being cornered – he knew he had to talk his way out of this one.

"I know your hiding the girl, Edward. I know she's here." Felix said stupidly, forcing Edward to step closer, just enough so that his gun was pointed straight to his temple. And Felix knew Edward _never_ missed a shot.

"And why would you think that?" Edward gritted between his teeth.

"You think I'm stupid? I can put two and two together. And all fingers point to you." Felix laughed. "Killing me will only prove that you have something to hide."

"I have nothing to hide." Edward said coldly, hiding his fear easily.

"You keep telling yourself that. I know she's here. _I can smell her_." He laughed darkly and Edward stepped forward with a loud growl, forcing Russell to move closer to the target as well.

"You'll do well to leave this place. Right away. And don't come back." Edward told him with a tone that Felix knew he wasn't kidding around. "If you come back here, I swear to God I'll make sure I paint my walls with your blood. And the only reason I'm not right now is because you're right. It'll only look like I have something to hide. And why I'm letting you go is because what you say doesn't matter. I have more authority over you then you ever will. Why would Aro believe you? After all I'm next in line." Edward said, knowing Felix knew exactly what he meant. Felix grumbled bitterly under his breath and began moving to the side, forcing Edward to step around, the gun always pointed straight to his head.

"You won't have power for long." Felix hissed venomously.

"Aro doesn't believe a word that comes out of your mouth. Why would he start now?" Edward snarled.

"I'll find her. I know she's here. And when I do…" Felix laughed darkly, shaking his head. "You'll regret this. You'll regret it all." His threat was not just a threat but a promise – a swear – a blood oath with only words. And for a moment, Edward faltered. Felix noticed. He smirked inwardly and then turned around and headed for the door.

Edward moved into his living room, stepping out of the front door to make sure Felix was truly gone. He was, and the only evidence of him being there at all was the mess in his kitchen. Edward shut the door, locking it and placed his gun down onto the counter.

"Bella?" Edward called out, walking back into the bedroom to find Russell pawing at the closet door, whining as he tried to nudge it open with his nose. Edward whistled him away and slid open the door, only to find Bella crouched in the corner, her knees to her chest and her head buried in her lap. Edward reached out to her, feeling her body shake as his hand touched her shoulder. "Isabella? Baby? Are you okay?" He asked softly and Bella lifted her head, her eyes red and swollen, her body minutely calming down at the feel of his touch.

"Sweetie…" Edward began softly, his hand falling to her knee. "Baby, please talk to me."

Bella relaxed at his touch, but her bottom lip was still trembling, some strands of hair sticking to her face from the tears but he brushed them out of the way, his free hand rubbing at her leg.

"He…" Bella began softly, her words soft and uneasy. "He almost…"

"But he didn't." Edward finished her sentence. "I told you – I won't let anything happen to you."

That's when Bella broke down and began crying and Edward reached forward, grabbing his broken girl and lifting her into his arms. He shushed her and pressed his lips to her forehead and carried her to the bed. He laid her down on her side and began to get up to get her a glass of water but she latched onto him quickly.

"Please…" She said through sobs, "Don't leave me. Just… Don't go." She said through cries and Edward sighed softly, shaking his head and leaning down to press a kiss to her cheek.

"I'm not going anywhere, sweetie. I'm right here. I won't ever fucking leave. I promise." He moved onto the bed and allowed her to curl himself up into his arms where she wept into his shirt. Russell laid his head on the side of her bed, nudging her leg with his nose but she was too busy crying to notice. Edward held his crying lover in his arms, his heart mourning for her and his lips sporadically pressing to the top of her head. She thought she was being taken – he could only imagine the fear she went through in those moments he wasn't there to protect her.

That's when the realization of something kicked in. What if Felix was armed and Edward had been home? There would be no doubt it would have been a gun match and it could have ended badly. There could have been no other outcome, and quite frankly Edward was surprised Felix didn't come with a gun. He was lucky – this time.

_You know what that was, Cullen? That was sign number three. And you received all in the same day. What does that tell you? _

The revelation of his own thoughts caught him off guard and very slowly he looked down to his girl who continued to weep into his shirt. His body was frozen, his arms in place around her shoulders – and Edward had a thought. A thought that branched into different thoughts, and finally settled into one decision.

He had to do _something_. And there was only _one_ thing to do.

Bella's dreams were vivid that night – recreating those last few minutes of her trapped in the closet, Felix stalking outside of it like a hungry wolf. Everything that happened last night happened in her dream – but this time Edward didn't come to her rescue, this time Felix opened the door, his eyes blazing with an unhidden truth that she wasn't going to be okay. He grabbed her wrist, pulling her up and into his tight embrace – like a snake coiling around its prey, closing off air to her throat and making sure she had no kind of escape.

His chuckle filled her ears, the venom that laced in it sent chills on her skin as she tried to breath in, as she tried to call out for Edward – for someone to save her. His arms were so tight though, she couldn't do anything but feel the pain – let it seep into her and wish that it would only take her completely.

"_Isabella_…" His voice was in a soft hiss as he took in her scent, his lips inches from hers as she tried to let her inevitable death take her. But nothing was working and she wasn't dying – she was living without air feeling the pain over and over again – _never_ stopping, _never_ ceasing, and _never_ ending.

Bella awoke with a loud gasp, her body drenched with sweat, her hair sticking to her neck, and her hand to her chest. The morning sun was up and shining through the window and Bella tried to take in deep breaths, willing herself to calm down despite the tears that were threatening to spill out. Once her heart rate had slowed back to a normal steady pace she turned to see that the bed was empty. She reached over to touch Edward's normal spot but it was cold – he had been gone for awhile.

A familiar nose did press up against her arm and Bella turned to see Russell lying his head on the side of the bed, his big brown eyes staring right up into hers as he whined very gently just in order to get her attention. Bella smiled weakly and set her hand on top of his head, scratching back behind his ear. She didn't fail to notice the small spots of blood around his mouth causing goosebumps to trail up her body. She knew exactly what it was from.

"Thank you." Bella whispered gently just before leaning down and pressing a soft kiss to his forehead. The dog whined once again before lifting his head to lick right underneath her neck. Bella smiled sadly and pulled away, pushing the covers down so she could step onto the floor. She was decked in one of Edward's old shirts that fell down to mid-thigh on her. She realized he must have changed her sometime during the night and for some reason – it made her heart swell. Last night, she had been a complete wreck. All she did was cry for hours and Edward stuck it through and held onto her. The two of them didn't actually get to sleep sometime in the early morning.

She had to find him. She had to thank him for everything. Bella stepped towards the cracked door but stopped when she heard a voice on the other side.

"No. I can't. It'll be too hard. I'm too weak, I couldn't…" Edward stopped to let out a large sigh as Bella leaned near the opening, listening intently to who he was talking to. When no one said anything, she assumed he was on the phone. "Alice, I told you why." Bella bit down onto her bottom lip, feeling Russell nudge at her ankle with his cold nose. She hissed unexpectedly and then shushed him quietly when he began to whimper. "No. You can't. You won't be able to keep your fucking mouth shut." That's when Bella heard a very distinct yell in the phone. Sometimes, it was hard to believe such a loud voice could come out of such a small body. "Ali, I have to do this. Please… You're making me feel worse. Just fucking stop. _Please._" His words were disturbed by soft broken gasps and Bella felt her heart clench.

_Why is he so sad?_

Suddenly Russell barked causing Bella to jump, forcing the door to open just a smidge. Edward whispered something into the phone and Bella glared right down at Russell who wagged his curly tail.

"Isabella?" Edward called out and very slowly Bella opened the door all the way, revealing Edward who was sitting on the couch, phone closed and in hand. She smiled timidly, watching as he stood up cautiously – and she knew he was being cautious. He didn't want to scare her. "Hi." He said weakly, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Hi." She replied gently, stepping forward and towards him. Edward took in a deep breath, his chest rising and falling as she got closer. Finally she was close enough to touch, and at the same exact time without even looking the two of them reached their hands forward, their fingertips touching and exchanging electricity into each other's body. Both of them let out a content sigh to be in each other's presence and soon Edward had gently wrapped his arms around her shoulders, bringing her into him.

Edward held her for awhile, pressing numerous of kisses to the top of her head and soon he brought her down so that they were sitting on the couch. When they pulled away from each other, they were still close – his hand reaching out to cup her cheek as their knees placed in between each other. Bella leaned into his touch, closing her eyes as her hands reached out the grab his arm – just so she could touch him.

"Are you okay?" He asked softly. Bella opened her eyes, nodding as she bit down onto her lower lip. Very slowly Edward brought his hand down, his thumb catching her lip and pulling it out from between her teeth.

"I am now. I don't like waking up without you." She told him, smiling as she watched him let a cute grin spread across his lips.

"I'm sorry." He said softly.

"It's okay. Just don't do it again." She smiled, nudging him with her fingers but Edward didn't crack a smile – in fact he had frowned. Bella didn't like it when he frowned – it didn't suit his features, he looked lonely – lost. How could he feel that way when she was right here? "What's wrong?"

"What?" He said quickly, blinking his eyes a few times. "Oh, nothing. I just didn't get much sleep last night."

"I'm sorry about that." She said guiltily.

"Baby, don't be sorry. You had every right to be scared." He nodded sternly. "I'm sorry I wasn't there in the first place. It would have never happened if I didn't leave."

"You didn't know he was watching." Bella said with a shrug, pushing herself up and closer to him. "He won't be coming back, right?" She asked timidly, snuggled into his chest but looking up at him.

"I swear to you, he will never bother you again." Edward smiled weakly down at her, but his statement will filled with the promise. He wouldn't have said if he wasn't sure – and Edward was very sure they would never go after Bella again.

"Do you have to leave today? Can you just… Stay with me?" Bella asked softly, reaching up and pressing a kiss to his jaw. "I don't want you to go."

"I'm not going anywhere." Edward said, his voice cracking ever so slightly. "I'll be here

with you all day. I promise."

And Edward kept his promise. Luckily though, he wasn't called in by Aro. He didn't know whether to take that as a good thing or a bad thing – but he didn't care. He would deal with the repercussions later, because right now all he wanted to do was be with Bella and for many reasons more than one.

The two were confined into the apartment. They didn't mind though. Bella had started to relax more, the shock of what happened the night before finally wearing off. She had become more playful, laughing and joking about silly things – but Edward stayed reserved. He would smile with Bella, laugh at her jokes and kiss her when she leaned in for one, but on more than one occasions, she caught him frowning when he thought she wasn't looking.

There were moments she would speak to him, but he wasn't listening. She would have to say his name numerous of times before he finally switched back into himself, blaming it on how tired he was. She offered for them to go take a nap – but he declined every offer and muttered something above spending as much time as he could…

Then there was dinner. Bella was stirring the rice in the pan, the tension of the incident had been completely gone, but she had turned to see him staring down at the opened drawer near the fridge. At first she thought he had seen something he didn't like, but when she looked over his shoulders, all she saw was the junk drawer – nothing but letters and some pens. There was nothing out of the ordinary. She touched his shoulder gently, causing him to jump a few inches back.

"Hey…" She whispered softly, watching as he turned to look at her, his face ghost pale. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing, nothing." He forced a smile. "I'm just a little out of it, I guess."

"Do you just want to go to bed?" She asked gently, her hand reaching out to stroke down his arm. Edward closed his eyes tightly, bringing the balls of his fist to them and rubbing them roughly.

"_Fuck_." He whispered more to himself than her – but she heard it. "I'm not really hungry I just... I'm going to take a shower. I'm sorry." He told her, pulling his hands away but avoided eye contact with her.

Knowing that he was avoiding looking at her made her wonder if he was mad at her, that for some odd reason he may possibly be upset with her because Felix had broken into his home. He was cutting himself off from her, or so it felt like. Before she had time to even protest, or ask him what was wrong he darted off into the bedroom, leaving Bella standing by herself in utter confusion.

She wondered what could possibly be on his mind that has kept him so pre-occupied through out most of the day. And she wondered what she could have done to make him so upset with her – or upset with what had happened. Maybe that was just it – maybe he was still in shock over what happened – and maybe his inner man was wounded because he wasn't around at first to protect her.

But why would he be so disconnected with her when everything that happened was done and over with? No, he couldn't possibly be upset over that. It had to be something she had done. Bella looked up to the opened bedroom door, hearing the shower start. Very slowly she brought herself up and began walking towards the bathroom, and once arrived she leaned against the closed door, her hand on the knob just before her small fist gently tapped against the door. Russell lay on his bed in the corner of the bedroom, watching as Bella slowly opened the door and closed it behind her.

The bathroom was filled with steam when Bella walked in. She looked to the large mirror, but her reflection was blurry due to it being fogged up. She looked to the shower, seeing the large crack in the glass door from Felix's doing, and Edward's dark silhouette on the other side.

Very slowly Bella began to unbuckle her jeans, pushing them off of her as well as her panties. She shrugged off her sweater and unclasped her bra, setting them all in a neat pile on the floor next to his. She rested her hand against the glass, knowing that Edward knew she was there. He didn't move though – he stayed still under the hot spray that ran down his body.

"Edward?" Bella whispered softly, sliding the glass door open to reveal her lover with his back turned towards her. Bella took in a deep breath and stepped in, realizing that if he really didn't want her there, he would have told her so. She slid the door close behind her and stood behind him – not touching just yet. Her body and hair was already damp with the mist in the air, her body responding to the water with goosebumps that appeared on her skin.

She looked up to see Edward's faced away from her, his head hanging down, the spray of the water rolling down his tone back and down his legs and to the floor. One large palm rested against the wall of the shower as the other hung loosely at his side.

"Edward…" She whispered again, reaching her hand out and touching his side. He tensed for a moment, but once her palm laid flat against his hip and she stepped to him so that her chest was to his back, he relaxed. Her cheek rested just underneath his shoulder blade, her other arm wrapping around his waist and hugging him close. Edward took in deep, shallow breaths – his hand coming down from the wall and holding hers that splayed across his abdomens.

And they didn't say anything. For minutes they sat under the spray together, holding each other in very intimate embrace. Everything about this position was cherished and close. They were forming into each other, and for once Bella wasn't being held. Bella was holding Edward. Whatever was going on his mind seemed to dissipate when she cared for him this way. He was very grateful for her, for a woman like she to hold him in such a caring way. No one had done this before.

It was that very fact alone that he choked back a sob. Bella didn't notice it though, and only pushed herself farther into him. Edward leaned his forehead against the wall, keeping his eyes shut tight as he relished in her touch. She murmured his name once again, sending a chill down his spine. He loved it when she said his name – in fact he craved that she said it all the time.

And then she said something else. Something she had said many times before, but this time it struck something within him.

"I love you." She whispered behind him, clutching onto him harder. Edward could resist her any longer and finally he turned around to face her. Bella looked up to him, both of them drenched from the water, steam passing against their bodies and leaving small bumps along their skin.

Edward lifted his hand, his fingers gently skimming down from her temple to her chin. He smiled lightly when she tried to bring her face closer to the warmth of his palm, and he allowed her access to it. Soon, though, his fingers had gently gripped her chin, forcing her to look up at him and into his eyes. When she looked up at him and their eyes connected, a very powerful surge went through her body to his, and both felt it – both could feel it crackling between them. Edward brought his other hand up, lifting his fingers to rest against her jaw line, his fingertips curling towards her neck.

Bella reached forward, wrapping her arms around his waist as she closed her eyes, feeling him come closer – feeling their lips mere inches apart but never moving that extra step. They were feeding off each other, devouring each others energies and consuming the love that radiated off of them despite the current problems.

And very slowly, when the space between them, as little as it was, became too much – Edward had leaned his head down and pressed his lips against hers. His lips were warm from the water and his body was hot as he pressed himself against her. Bella let out the softest moan and reached her arms up, curling them around his neck as she brought him closer to her.

Soon Edward had lifted her up, his hands tucking beneath her thighs as her legs wrapped around his waist – her hands against his face as their lips slipped against one another, tongues coming into play and smoothing and sliding against each other as both let out soft moans of approval. There was no time for talking – at least not now, and even though Edward knew that's exactly what she came in here for, he needed her. He had never needed her so much in his life than he did in that moment. But he didn't want her here; he wanted her in his bed. _In our bed_.

He turned off the shower as he pulled away from her, still holding onto her tightly before stepping out of the now open glass door. Bella moaned in approval when she slid down, feeling his length against her leg. Edward didn't let her down though, and instead walked her from the bathroom and to the bedroom where he dropped her gently onto the bed. The water droplets on her back had stained the sheets, but Edward could have cared less. He leaned down, hovering over her naked body and began pressing kisses to her neck.

Bella let out approving moans, her hands going to his head, her fingers weaving through his wet hair as she felt him sucking up the beads of water against her skin. His lips skimmed down her body, to her breast where he cupped both gingerly in his hands, paying close attention to each one, his tongue laying flat against her right erect nipple and traveling around to tease her.

"Edward…" She managed to moan, digging her nails into his back leaving scraps of red against his light, muscular skin.

When she said his name again – said it in a whisper – he almost stopped completely. He knew why he should – knew that something wasn't right about this, but then the other half of his mind thought how could this possibly be wrong?. He loved her. Unconditionally – and he always would. Despite what may happen in the near future. He couldn't stop. And he couldn't take his hands off of her, and very slowly he allowed her to fan out across the bed, the moments of foreplay had past long ago.

They need each other.

Edward grabbed a condom from the side table, ripping it with his teeth and sliding it on slowly, taking in a deep breath as he watched Bella who sat staring at him doing this action. She biting at her lip, her eyes slightly widened in anticipation which caused him to let out a soft groan. She looked up to him, her face flushing but her cheeks reddening at the fact that she was caught staring.

Edward smiled impishly and leaned forward, pressing a kiss to her lips and lifted the two of them up. He grabbed around her legs, bringing her to his lap and just like always, the two of them had aligned up – and very slowly Bella had begun to lower herself onto him, feeling him filling her up whole.

She couldn't help but let out a loud, throaty moan – her head tilting back at the feel of him inside of her. It was nothing she had ever experienced, and she knew she could never grow tired of them being together like this. Edward cursed under his breath at the feel of her walls squeezing him, hugging him tightly and never letting go. He stopped for a moment, relishing in the sensation of it. Bella lifted her head, looking down at him as her arms wrapped around his neck, her fingers lacing behind his head. It was in this moment Edward had looked into her eyes as well – and they just stared at each other. Nothing was said until Edward took a breath.

He breathed, "Beautiful."

Bella let out a soft moan and the two of them began moving together in sync. Edward dropped his hands, splaying them across her lower back as he helped her move against him. Bella moaned deeply, as Edward let out a feral growl – one that didn't scare her but turned her on even more. Bella lift one hand running it through his hair as he deepened himself inside of her, burying his length in her over and over again.

The feelings – they almost became too much. This time around, the connection was much deeper. Both of them couldn't understand why, but every thrust was illuminated with stars and bursting colors – and they weren't even to their peaks yet.

There were also no words between them – just moans and grunts that showed their appreciation for each other. Edward leaned down, his lips pressing along the mounds of her breast and sucking in different spots of her skin. This sent Bella crazy, her lips producing almost a weakened moan, as if she couldn't get it out because she was too consumed with pleasure. It wasn't long till their bodies began producing sweat, and their climaxes were on their way with full force. Edward gripped Bella's waist, helping her move faster – and harder. The two of them were together as one, always in sync, never off beat.

And soon with the last final thrusts, the two lovers moaned in unison – a variety of different emotions and feelings sparking off in different directions. They couldn't explain what just happened – couldn't explain how their climaxes truly felt, because it was nothing they ever felt before. It was so foreign yet wonderful, that they didn't even want to question it and were only thankful it happened in the first place. Bella was still gripping onto Edward's biceps with her nails; letting out very soft mewls as the end of her orgasm had rolled off.

Edward was sweating and panting, his head buried in the crook of her neck as he held onto her waist. He couldn't even describe what had just happened. It was something he never thought could happen – he never knew anything could feel that good. He wanted to do it again and again and again, but he knew he couldn't, for his Bella was limp in his arms. He held her tightly, laying her down next to him as he pulled out; discarding the condom in the trash can next to the bed.

Bella nuzzled herself into the sheets, her arms reaching out for him and when he lay next to her, she wrapped herself around him, a satisfied smile resting on her lips. She was blissfully happy with her lover her, and she knew she always would be. She knew it would never end. They would always be connected to each other like this. It would _always_ be this way.

"I love you." Bella muttered against the salty skin of Edward's chest. "So much."

Edward was silent for a few moments before his arm wrapped around and underneath her shoulder, allowing her to lay on his bicep. She looked up to him, noticing that he was staring right down at her. He had no smile on his face – in fact he looked more upset than blissfully happy like she was.

"What's wrong?" She asked quickly, reaching up to touch his cheek.

But just as fast as his frown was there, it was gone and he was smiling once again. Bella let out a sigh of relief and raked her fingers down his chest. He shook his head in answer to her question and leaned forward, pressing a kiss to her forehead. Bella cuddled herself against him, nearly purring like a little kitten as her fingers gently played with the little curls of chest hair he had.

"I hope it's always like this." Bella said with a smile, leaning down and pressing a kiss just above his heart. "I hope we'll always be like this. Always so much in love." She said, and Edward nodded his head in agreement.

"I'm sure we will be. This isn't something you find everyday." He shrugged, looking down at her as his fingers splayed through her hair. Bella looked up to him with a soft smile, reaching up to kiss him on his chin.

"You know you're my first." She said, watching as he raised a curious brow. "I've never been in love before you." She whispered and watched as a smile spread across his lips.

"And will I be your last?" He asked, leaning forward so that their foreheads were touching.

"Of course." She giggled, pressing herself closer to him.

"Good." He said with a smile, his fingers playing with strands of her hair. "You're my first too, you know. I've never been in love before either."

"And will _I_ be your last?" She asked, her hand splaying across his chest as her chin rested above it, a cute smirk playing against her lips.

"I swear to you, you will be my last. I don't think I can fall in love with someone else. No one else seems to be good enough for me." He smirked and Bella let out a soft laugh, laying her head back down on his chest.

"Mm. I'm sure there is someone out there that's better than me." She told him with a shrug. "I mean, it's inevitable."

"Hey." Edward scolded quickly, forcing her with his fingers to make her look at him. "That's not true. No one is better than you. At least – not for me." He said sternly. "I'm not used to this emotion, Bella. I've had little to do with it. Anything to do with love, I seem to cut myself out of. It was just instinctual. But with you – it came naturally. I didn't have to do anything. I didn't even have time to run away from it. It just fucking hit me. You just fucking hit me."

"Hmm." Bella simply said with a smile. "I hated you, you know."

"I know." He nodded with a smile. "You had every right to."

"But it turned out – you're not too bad." She smiled impishly, leaning forward to press a kiss to his nose. "Actually – you're not that bad at all."

"That's good." Edward laughed, leaning forward and pecking her lips just a few times before pulling away.

"Promise me one thing though." She said, watching as he nodded. "When I finally do decide to go home – promise me we will find our way back to each other. No matter what. That's the only way I'll be able to make it without you when I go back. You say we won't be able to see each other for a few weeks, well then promise me this. Promise me you'll find me again."

Edward didn't say anything. In fact – his face was emotionless. There was a lump in his throat, and he couldn't get it down. It was almost stuck, and he felt like he was on the verge of breaking down. But to spare her and himself from this emotional wreck, he only nodded his head – replacing his frown with a smile.

"I promise." He told her in a soft whisper, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to her forehead. Bella let out a comforting moan and settled back into him. They lay their, quietly for a few moments before she felt her throat began to get parched. She looked up to see Edward's eyes closed, and very slowly she began to slide out of bed.

"Hey." He called out just as her feet touched the ground. Bella looked back at him, seeing him sitting upright and staring over at her. "Where are you going?"

"I was going to get a drink." She said with a shrug.

"Lay back down. I'll get for you." He smiled, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to her forehead. Bella grinned and laid back down into the blankets as Edward got up and left for the kitchen, grabbing his pair of boxers and sliding them on as he closed the door behind him. Bella nestled herself underneath the blankets, a great feeling overwhelming her. Despite what happened, everything felt normal – everything felt, good. They could get through this – she knew they could. In a few months she'd go back home, and they would only be separated for only a short while, but would soon, as he promised, find their way back to each other. He promised he would find her, and she completely and utterly believed him.

Edward opened the door with a glass of tea in his hand. He discarded his boxers and lay back down into his spot underneath the blanket and slowly handed her the drink. Bella took it gratefully, kissing him on the cheek and take a few gulps before setting it to the night side table.

Edward had his arms open for her, she slipped in, snuggling into hi s chest as she felt him kiss the top of her head. And it was like a sudden wall of fatigue hit her which she blamed on their previous activities. She let out a loud yawn, overwhelmed by the sudden tiredness she nestled into his chest and began falling asleep.

The last thing she heard for the night was Edward's voice, whispering in her ear.

"I'll love you always, _my Isabella_."

* * *

**To start off, I'm sorry I haven't updated in awhile. Things have been super busy around here. I hope this long ass chapter makes up for my absence.**

**But besides that fact, what do you think? Felix is a sly motherfucker. I wish Edward would have killed him – but it's just not that easy with Bella in the same room. Tell me what you think about this chapter.**

**And as always, review and leave me your thoughts and I'll send you a review reply.**

**Alright I'm off to go start writing the next chapter.  
****Thanks to my beta, whose fucking amazing.  
****And thanks to you guys for reading.**

**Fucking love you all.  
****xoxo  
****shelby**


	22. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

August 1st, 2010

_Pain_.

It was radiating all through Bella's body. Her mind was fogged and clouded with sleep, not to mention the thrashing headache that had decided to become more prominent since she last remembered. Her back was tightened, knots embedded deep under her skin, her arms and legs were sore and she had trouble opening her eyes. She felt like she had been asleep for years, her body not used to such a long time in one certain position.

She couldn't hear much around here – but she knew she was awake. She had odd dreams that night. Some were vivid and colorful, like the one dream that relived the memory of her winning a medal in her ballet competition when she was thirteen or when she first received Adara from Phil. But others were sad, like the memories of her mother taking her away from her father when they moved out. They were all different. Some were past experiences, some were new dreams – like the one she had of her and Edward walking along the edge of a river, the sounds so life like she could have sworn she was really there.

That was a happy one – until it turned into another direction and she heard a soft tale of an apology whispering in her ear. She couldn't understand it. It was just mumbles, but she knew that whoever was speaking to her was very sad, and very sorry.

Bella tried to pry her eyes open, but they just didn't seem to want to corporate. She lay for a few more minutes before realizing that it must be late in the afternoon, and Edward had to be waiting for her.

_Edward_. The thought of him – it sent her heart racing. _Would it always be like this_? Always acting like some teenage girl with a rapid heart beat and a butterfly feeling in her stomach? She hoped. She hoped that their feelings for each other never wore off – that it would always be like this. New and fresh. Bella could feel herself smiling and very slowly, her body began to cooperate. She wanted to see Edward, she wanted to kiss him good morning and help him cook breakfast like they usually did in the mornings.

"Edward…" Bella let out softly, reaching over to his side of the bed, only to feel her hand drop. Her eyes were still closed, still trying to get out of this apparent deep slumber. "Edward?" Bella said again, her voice a mere, cracked whisper.

Her body was in motion, her hands searching around the bed which had apparently shrank since the last time she was in it. Now that her body was coming back out of sleep, her senses were heightening to their normal standards. She finally realized that something was wrong with Edward's bed. It had gotten very small and very uncomfortable overnight.

Her hearing picked up on a loud pitch beeping noise to the left of her. And Edward's room didn't smell like him – it smelled of… Lysol and rubber.

"Edward…" She called a little louder, but there was no response. Finally her eyes began to open and a bright white light caught just in her vision. She hissed loudly and tightly closed her eyes again, bringing her hands up only to feel something hard on her left pointer finger – almost like a clip. Bella set her hands down and began opening her eyes again. They stayed squinted, adjusting to the light and finally after she blinked a few times, what she saw was the last thing she expected.

She was surrounded in cream colored walls, a few pictures of sceneries hanging on thumbtacks around the room. Bella blinked her eyes a few times and wondered if she was still dreaming. Very slowly, she turned her head to the right and saw a window. The white curtains were drawn shut and a few leather chairs sat near a small table. More to the right was some type of equipment – something that looked like it belongs in a… _Hospital_.

The beeping in her left ear continued and Bella turned her head slowly to see a large machine with buttons and wires sticking out of it, one specific wire traveling to the floor, back up and to the bed and to her right pointer finger, where the clip was attached. Bella brought her hand up, looking at it in confusion.

"Edward…" Bella called out – but this time her voice was cracked. Her body was shaking as her eyes began to water. She had no idea where she was – had no idea how she got here, and no clue as to where Edward was. Slowly she brought herself up, ignoring the aches and pains of her body. As her head and neck began to relax she was glancing in every direction she could, trying to find a clue if Edward was here. His coat, his shoes, _himself_. Anything.

"Edward…" She said louder and finally pushed the blankets off of her to reveal a hospital gown. Bella let out a staggering sob but ignored it and slipped herself off the bed. Her legs were weak, her body not used to being on her feet just yet, but she caught herself on the corner of the bed. She regained power and began shifting towards the door.

She didn't even care to realize that she had gone so far, the clip on her finger fell, and the room was filled with a loud shrilling screeching noise. She didn't seem to care though – her eyes were damp, her body still shaking from freight as she grabbed onto the door knob. She had to find Edward. He had to be here. She couldn't have just gotten here herself – he had to have brought her here for reasons that were unknown. He had to be here.

_He had to be_.

Bella walked out to the hallway, tears streaming down her face as she looked around for Edward. But the way she was walking – there was no one there. Only an empty desk and closed doors. Bella turned to see another desk, computers and file cabinets surrounding the corners and more doors with numbers on them. Bella let out a sob as she began walking forward, her legs still a bit wobbly.

"Edward?" Bella said softly, feeling her tears fall down from her face. A thunderous noise went off behind her causing her to jump and her body to swing around and see a group of women, dressed in purple scrubs carefully moving towards her.

"Miss Swan?" A blonde hair lady asked, "Sweetheart, you need to get back into your room."

"Where am I?" Bella asked softly, slowly walking backwards and away from the crowd. "I don't know where I am… I'm… I can't…" Bella couldn't think – she was so confused. Her pounding headache came back and she groaned softly, bringing her hands to her head.

"Sweetie, I'm Nurse Debra. These are my coworkers." Nurse Debra said, pointing to the other three women at her side. "You're at Northwest Hospital here in Seattle. You were brought in last night."

"A… What?" Bella said through a soft whisper, "No, no, no. I was… I need… Where's Edward?"

"Sweetheart, you've been through a lot of trauma. It makes sense you can't remember anything. Please, let's just get back in your room and I'll explain everything." The Nurse said, stepping closer to Bella. But she was like a frightened kitten, being cornered and ready to flee.

"No…" Bella cried, taking a few steps back, "Please, just leave me alone… I have to find Edward."

"Sweetie, just calm down." The Nurse tried to tell her, but Bella shook her head furiously.

"No! Just go away! Leave me alone!" She cried shaking her head, her body moving faster. She turned back around and attempted to run. Her body was weak, though, and she could only limp at a fast pace. The nurses were screaming her name, and Bella could hear them running after her.

She didn't care though – she knew she had to find Edward, have him explain what was going on. She saw an exit door at the end of the hallway, and her best bet was to reach it. But her body was slow, and the nurses were catching up. Bella was crying with each movement, it straining hard on her body and just as she reached the door, a nurse caught her in her arms. Bella screamed out, thrashing against her and attempting to push her away.

"Hold her down!" A lady screamed as two others began pinning her to the floor. "I need sedation – now!"

"Let go of me!" Bella screamed, pushing her elbows into the women who just didn't seem to budge. "Let me go! Edward!" Bella screamed for her lover – hoping that he would find her – that he would help her, but the next thing she knew she felt something being stuck into the inside of her elbow, and very slowly her body began to weaken even more than it already was. "Edward…" Bella cried out as she gave up the fight, as her body became so tired that she felt herself slipping into unconsciousness.

The last words she spoke were of her lovers' name. Over and over again.

Across the town of Seattle sat a very lonesome man in his apartment. He was clutching his hair, trying very hard to stop the emotions that were inevitably going to come out. He just didn't know how hard they would come. He knew what he did, he knew what he had to do, but yet – he felt horrible. He felt like it shouldn't have gone that way, like it could have ended better than how it did. But he knew he did it with good intentions – he did it with intentions that _she_ could have a better life even if it was without him.

_The road to hell is paved with good intentions…_

A dog scratched at the nearby door, whining and pawing it – trying to nudge it open with his nose. The dog seemed sad – distant. He knew something had happened and he didn't like the change at all.

"Russell." The broken man said, not looking at the dog and instead staring straight at the ground. The dog ignored him and continued to paw at the door, this time letting out a mournful bark. "Russell!" He said more sternly, "_That's enough_." He said angrily and stood from the couch. The dog moaned and looked at his owner, watching as he walked to the window and stared out to the lake. His eyes were wet, but no tears escaped. He was a stone – caught in his own body, and he was ready for the pain. And in a very soft whisper, he said one last thing, more to himself than to his dog.

"She's gone."

Xx

"_Bella_?"

A voice called out to the sleeping girl – a nudge at her side allowing her to wake up. Her body still felt sore – her mind still clouded, and her heart still sad. Bella moaned softly from sleep as the voice continued to encourage her to wake up.

"That's it, sweetie. Go ahead and open your eyes." The voice was deep – a man. He didn't scare her though, even if she didn't know who it was. His voice was soothing, almost calming her – but not the voice she wished she could be hearing.

Bella's eyes opened and she saw a man in a white outfit, blonde hair, and bright blue eyes staring down at her. Her mouth was parched, and when opened it to speak, nothing came out. The man chuckled gently, reaching over and handing her a glass of water. Bella's shaky hands came up and grabbed the glass, bringing it to her lips and take a few big gulps of the cold water that soothed her throat.

"I've heard you had quite an episode today." The man said, bringing up a flashlight to her eyes. "Follow the light please, sweetheart." He said and Bella did as she was told. His pointer finger and the light moved from side to side and Bella watched the light with red eyes up until he dropped both, and he smiled so brightly that it was almost infectious. _Almost_.

"You're vitals are good." He told her, reaching over and grabbing what looked like a flat computer screen. His fingers moved along the screen and Bella watched quietly as he typed a few things in just before setting it down on the table next to her. The man took in a deep breath and looked at her with narrowed eyes. Bella stayed quiet though, looking around to only see she was in the room she had first woken up in. She let out a staggering sigh, realizing that what happened was not a nightmare.

"Bella, I'm Dr. Cullen. Do you know where you are?" He asked her.

Bella looked back to him, staring at him for a few moments before answering very softly with a shrug, "I don't know."

"You're in Seattle at the Northwest Hospital. You were brought here last night." He told her, pausing if she had anything to say. She said not a word. "Bella, do you know you have been missing for over two months now?"

Bella looked away, down at her hands that sat on her lap. Dr. Cullen looked down at her lap with her, watching as her body grew tense. And very slightly, she nodded her head, a let out a soft breath of air.

"Do you know how you got here?" He asked her, but Bella shook her head. "Are you in any kind of pain?"

"My back is kind of sore." She said hoarsely.

Dr. Cullen chuckled kindly and nodded his head. "You'd think these beds would be more comfortable. I'll bring in extra pillows for your back. It should help with the leverage." He said, and Bella nodded slowly. She wasn't in the mood for small talk.

"How… How did I get here?" She asked softly, her voice cracking gently.

Dr. Cullen breathed through his nose, shifting gently just as he stared down at her. He clearly had a lot on his mind – a lot of things he wanted to say but was reserved at saying these specific things.

"Around one in the morning, a cab driver brought you in. He said a man in a hood dropped you in the car and demanded that the driver take you to a hospital." The doctor began, letting out a soft breath of air not going without noticing that Bella was beginning to shake. "Sweetheart, we can take this easy. I don't have to tell you anything right now."

"No…" Bella said through a few tears. "I need… I need to know."

The doctor nodded and sat himself down at the side of the bed, and in the most comforting way he reached forward and patted her knee. "You're a strong girl, Bella. When you were brought in here you were knocked out cold. We ran some test on you. You had about six hundred milligrams of Deprax in your system."

"Deprax?" She asked in confusion.

"Yes, it's a prescribed antidepressant. Do you remember taking this?" Dr. Cullen asked, but Bella slowly shook her head. "Well sometimes, this specific drug can be used for sleeping. Deprax is just a brand name. But what's mainly in it is Trazodone."

Bella's eyes shot to the doctors and very quickly she remembered the bottle in Edward's bathroom – a bottle of Trazodone.

"You don't remember anything? Maybe taking the pill by accident?" The doctor asked but Bella was speechless – she was beyond words. This couldn't be a coincidence. He had it in his cabinet, and it they had found it in her system. Bella let out a deep, staggering breath and a hard sob rocked through her body. Dr. Cullen was stunned by her sudden reaction and he quickly stood up, attending to her as much as he could.

Bella felt sick to her stomach. She couldn't believe what she was hearing – couldn't believe that Edward would actually do something like this. Drug her and send her off to the hospital? Did he plan this? Was he always planning on doing this? Bella cried harder and the doctor tried to soothe her but nothing was working. Bella wiped her tears, trying to make sense of what was going on, but the fingers pointed in one direction. Edward wanted to get rid of her – and he succeeded.

"Sweetie, you don't have to talk about this." The doctor finally cut in once she had settled and he continued speaking, "I know this must be hard and it is not my job to question you. Quite frankly – you've been through enough. I'm sure you just want to go home. But I need to ask you some things. And I need you to be completely honest with me, okay?" He asked, watching as Bella looked up to him and nodded her head. "Because you are older than eighteen I do not have the right to ask your parents to run a rape test on you. I need your consent."

Bella looked up at the doctor with watered eyes, her hand come up to rub the tears away from her cheeks. "Um…" Bella began softly, "What do you have to do?"

"I have to swab you. It'll get any sorts of DNA that may still be lingering. And for someone who has been missing for two months and can't remember how she got here, we usually run this type of test. It'll be painless and easy." Dr. Cullen assured her. Bella let in a deep breath and brought her palm to her forehead, shutting her eyes tightly.

"I… I wasn't raped." Bella told him with a nod of her head.

"Bella, are you sure? You don't need to be ashamed. This kind of thing, as horrible as it is, happens all the time. And girls just like you get taken advantage of." The doctor told her sternly. He didn't want her to be ashamed – that kind of thing could cause her to cave into herself. He wanted to help her, as much as he could.

"I'm sure. I swear." Bella said with clarity. "I wasn't raped."

Dr. Cullen looked at Bella with soft eyes and slowly nodded his head, reaching for his pad once again and typing in a few things. Once finished he sat it back down, reaching for something else on the bedside table. Bella noticed it was a weaved basket, striped cotton coming out of it with what looked like muffins in the middle.

"This is for you. My wife, Esme, made them." He told her, setting the basket back down. "When you're ready to eat something, start with a muffin. They are plain, but it'll help get your digestive system running since you have been sleeping for so long."

Bella looked to the basket and back to him with a very small smile. She was forcing it – and he could tell, but he wasn't offended the least bit. "Tell her I said thank you."

"I will." Dr. Cullen smiled. "Your parent's should be here soon. We called them this morning."

"My parents?" Bella gaped with wide eyes. She knew that she'd eventually see them, but knowing that they were on their way – it made her feel nervous but happy at the same time when all she wanted to feel was sadness, when all she wanted to feel was how broken Edward was truly making her.

"And I'm sure the police will be here soon to have you answer questions. If they bother you any, it is your right to throw them out until you're ready to talk about it. So don't let them throw you around, okay?" The doctor smiled and Bella nodded her head slowly. "If you need me, just buzz the nurses and let them know. Take it easy for the day. If all test run clear you'll be on your way home to Phoenix in no time."

Bella stayed still – she didn't respond but Dr. Cullen wasn't offended at all at her lack of reply. He had seen enough girls in and out of here to know that she was in a hard place – maybe the hardest of them all. He smiled gently at her and went on his way with his pad, leaving Bella to stare at the empty room.

All she could hear was the city outside, the footsteps and soft murmurs from the hallway, and the beeping at the machine next to her. This was real. She was not dreaming. This was _really_ happening. Bella tried to make sense of what she could have done that made him so upset with her to the point where he drugged her and sent her off on her way. Was it because of the problems she created? That Felix now knew and would do anything to get her back, even if that meant killing him? Or was he just bored with her? Missing his old life and not being tied down by one woman?

Bella's bottom lip trembled and very slowly she slid down the bed, back into a laying position. She huddled herself under her blanket and faced her back against the door. She cried quietly to herself for a good hour, wondering what she did to deserve this. Why Edward couldn't have just told her. Why he stopped loving her.

Bella cried herself to sleep, in hopes that maybe she could wake up from this nightmare.

A little later, down at the front desk, a woman with dark hair and tear coated eyes ran frantically into the hospital, looking left and right for her daughter who had been missing for months and was now recently found.

"Ma'm?" The nurse asked.

"Bella. Bella Swan. Where is she?" The woman yelped.

"Are you family?" The nurse asked, raising a brow.

Renee glared down at the nurse, not liking the fact that she was giving her a hard time. And just as she was about to give attitude and a few colorful words, Charlie came up behind Renee, explaining to the nurse that they were her parents and they were called in earlier.

"You listen here you –" Renee began but was stopped by a voice echoing down the hall.

"Mr. Swan? Mrs. Dwyer?" A loud but comforting voice called out to them. "I'm Carlisle Cullen. I've been watching over you daughter for the past few hours."

"Is she okay? Is she hurt?" Renee cried out.

"She is perfectly fine. She was brought here last night by a cab driver. She was passed out and had a heavy dosage of sleeping medication in her." The doctor began.

"Sleeping medication?" Charlie balked in confusion.

"We don't know how it got in her system, and she isn't very sure herself." The doctor continued but Renee gasped, bringing her hands up to her lips.

"You've talked to her? She's talking?" Renee asked, a few tears slipping down her cheeks.

"Yes, she's very stable. She had an episode earlier, but was taken care of. The shock of what has happened has not worn off, and I advise you to give her time and let her tell you what happened on her own terms. Forcing her to speak of the kidnapping before she's ready to talk about it may cause some physiological damage. But all tests came back fine and there is nothing physically wrong with her. She's in good shape." The doctor told them, watching as both parents let out a breath of air.

"Doctor… Was she…" Renee began with a gulp, "Is there a possibility that she was… Raped?" Renee choked on the last word and Charlie tightened his fists, knowing that if the answer was yes, he would be on a man hunt.

"I asked for her consent to do the rape test. She denied it and swore that she wasn't raped. I took her word on it." Dr. Cullen told them with a definitive nod. "Most girls who are raped are too ashamed to get a rape test. They shy away when asked about it, but when I asked Bella she assured me she wasn't raped. And I believe her. There is no need for a test."

"When can we see her?" Renee asked hopefully.

"Now, if you want. She has been sleeping on and off all day. She's on the fourth floor, room Eight B." He said, stepping away and allowing them view of the elevators. "Just take it easy with her. Don't ask too many questions. Everything is still a bit fuzzy for her." Both parents nodded and when the doctor left, they look at each other and very slowly – as if instinctual they grabbed each other's hand and headed towards the elevator.

Night had fallen over the hospital and Bella was fast asleep on her bed – but her nightmares were keeping her on high alert. She saw Felix, she felt him coil himself around her – and she called out for Edward and she wanted him to help her – but he had shown up and just looked away, leaving her to die. The constriction of Felix's arms caused Bella to begin heaving and very shortly afterwards she awoke violently.

She was alone in her room again but she didn't care if someone heard her crying. Bella sobbed into her hands as her body began shaking violently. She felt so lost – so alone. She felt like everything that happened in the past two months meant absolutely nothing. At least, they were nothing to Edward. Because Bella still clung onto him – hoping that this was truly just a nightmare and she would wake up in his arms, feeling his chest to hers, his lips grazing her forehead and him whispering in her ear how much he loves her.

But he didn't. And he wouldn't. Not again. Not ever again.

And that very thought alone caused Bella to cry harder. But this time – it was more silent. She laid herself back down, covering the blanket over her head. She just wanted to escape from this world – escape from every emotion she possibly could.

Later that night Bella was asleep once again but this time around she had no vivid nightmares and was only drifting in a dark slumber up until she felt something go up and down her covered leg. Bella shifted slightly, letting out a soft groan just before turning to see the face of her mother, sitting at the edge of the bed, staring down at her. And once mother and daughter eyes connected, Renee lost it. Her eyes welled up in tears – her lips pouting and forming into a very weak smile as she let out a soft sob. Bella though was unmoving. She was still in shock of all of the events leading up to this moment.

"Hi baby." Renee said quietly, reaching forward and pushing back a strand of hair. Bella stayed silent, her eyes blinking a few times before she took in a deep breath – taking in the situation around her. Her eyes wandered around, but there was no sign of Charlie or Phil. Bella didn't know whether to be thankful or disappointed so instead she looked back to her mother but neither smiled or frowned.

"Hi." Bella said pitifully. Tears were streaming down Renee's face as she scooted forward and cupped her daughter's cheeks as if it were the first time she was doing it. Renee was on the brink of completely and utterly losing it, and Bella noticed. "I'm okay." She said before Renee tried to interrogate her. "I'm fine."

But either way, Renee was going to lose it. Despite the fact if Bella told her she was okay or not. And that is exactly what Renee did. She let out a shuddering sob and leaned forward to press a kiss to her daughter's forehead, cheeks, and eyes. She had thought the last time they saw each other would be their last, and now seeing her in the flesh was something amazing, something incredible, something blessed.

But Bella didn't feel amazing or incredible or even blessed. She felt broken. And she didn't want to feel that way. As much as she missed her mother – as much as she wanted to cry in joy with her, she was still too wrecked. Her head and her heart were in two completely different places. Her head was here – recognizing her mother and their reunion. But her heart – her heart was somewhere in Seattle with her once lover, lost and never to be found again.

Bella felt tears slipping out the corner of her eyes as her mother hugged her, whispering to her how much she missed her, and how much she loves her and Bella sat unmoving, trying her hardest to react but finding it impossible in the state she was in.

Down the hall Charlie Swan paced near the exit door, bringing his hands up and rubbing his face gingerly, trying to keep his composure together. In a few moments, he would walk through that door and see his daughter who had been missing for two months. He would see her face, alive and healthy as the doctor had said, and would see how much he had failed her.

And quite possibly, she may see how much he has failed her. This frightened him to no end. He felt like the worst father in the world, not protecting her when she needed it the most. Would she hold that against him? Would she hate him for not going after her when the storm became too much for her to handle?

Charlie was on the verge of a panic attack, but he knew he had to go in. Bella was expecting him – whether that was to yell at him or tell him how much she missed him, he didn't know. But he had to go in.

Taking two big strides forward, Charlie reached room Eight B and very slowly he turned the knob opening the door. The sight sent the breath out from his lungs, and very slowly Charlie seemed to relax at the sight of his daughter. Unscratched, unharmed, and in the arms of her mother.

When mother and daughter pulled away, Charlie and Bella locked eye contact and neither of them smiled. Smiling couldn't even comprehend what was going on between them. It was much bigger. Father and daughter, reunited once again.

And after a few moments of silence, the soft words of "Hi dad." Escaped from Bella's lips and Charlie couldn't help but smile as tears formed in his eyes.

Xx

"Edward?" Aro called out from the room, snapping him out of his daze. Edward stepped forward, into the new office only to be face to face with Felix, who sat behind Aro's chair, looking smug and vindicated.

"Sir." Edward responded.

"Edward, Felix has come to me with a very serious accusation about you." Aro began, his fingers knitting together as he stared at him with a raised brow. "He has come to tell me that you know the whereabouts of Isabella Swan."

Her name was all it took to send an aching pain in his chest, his body feeling as if it was ready to crash. But he stood still – unmoving, and stared straight into Aro's eyes. He couldn't give himself away, not after everything that just happened two weeks ago when he regrettably drugged his lover and sent her off to the hospital. The memory sent another aching pain, and this time he almost faltered. _Almost_.

_Edward stood at the counter for a few seconds, staring down at his pills of Trazodone. The moment of her dehydration couldn't have been more perfect. He hadn't even planned that. And that is what killed him. It was like some higher power was telling him that this needed to happen, that fate was directing him this way. He shifted the bottle in his hand, staring at it for a few moments before finally deciding to take off the cap, and sent two little white pills to the bottom of the cup of tea. He stared down at the cup, watching as the pills mocked him as they dissipated in the water, no sign of them at all when they were gone. He wanted to dump the contents in the sink, but knew he couldn't. He knew he had to go through with this because there was no other way. She wouldn't want to leave, and he couldn't force her. At least while she was conscience. _

_Edward sucked down all the emotions he had and grabbed the glass, heading back into the bedroom. He opened the door to see his Isabella sprawled in the sheets, naked and sated with their lovemaking. He let down another gulp and slipped off his boxers, hiding all the emotions he had. When she saw him, she smiled – bright and pure, and he nearly lost it – because he knew that this was the last time he would see it. _

_And that sent him near a breaking point. But he held his shit together and lay back down next to her and handed her the tea reluctantly. Bella continued to smile and leaned over, kissing his cheek and he watched as she set the glass to her mouth, tipping it back and taking a few drinks. Edward looked away, trying to keep his emotions in tact as she set the glass down and snuggled back into him. _

_It didn't take long for the pills to kick in, and all the while he didn't speak. He just let her lay herself against his chest as she had no idea why the reason she was so suddenly tired was because he had just drugged her. Her soft breathing gave him the indication that the pills had worked, and she was falling into a deep slumber. Edward bit the inside of his cheek and brought her closer to him as very softly he whispered in her ear…_

"_I'll love you always, my Isabella." _

_He wasn't sure if she heard it. Quite frankly he said it more for himself than for her. Bella was fast asleep and Edward began to nudge her, but she didn't move. One pill was meant to put someone in a deep sleep – two pills weren't dangerous, but she wouldn't wake up for anyone until she was ready to. _

_For an hour or so Edward laid next to her, clutching her to him because he knew this would be the last time he ever could. That after this, they would never see each other again. He hated the feeling that overwhelmed him – he hated everything that made him feel so weak and so vulnerable. She did that to him. She made him feel like the most fucked up person on the planet – and she wasn't even aware of it. Edward kissed her face, over and over again in different spots, finally resting upon her lips. She didn't kiss back. And he realized then what was going to happen after he let her go._

_She would never again kiss him back._

_And before Edward could even regret what he was doing he quickly pulled himself out of the bed and began to get dress. Once he was, he grabbed some of her clothes and began dressing her. It wasn't hard, considering how light she was, but the fact that he was doing it made it that much harder. Edward stared at the parts he was covering up, knowing he'd never see them again. Her soft stomach, her round breasts, her perfect face… It would be the last all of this. Edward bit back the emotions and very slowly leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead. _

"_I love you." He whispered to her, taking an item off his hand and slipping it into her back pocket of her jeans just before lifting her up in his arms. He stayed there for a moment, staring down at her; nuzzling her neck with his face, hoping that she would wake up – hoping that she would tell him not to do this. But she wasn't going to. She was fast asleep. And she would be for awhile, just giving him enough time to do what he had to do. _

_Russell whined next to Edward as he walked to the front door, opening it up carefully and staring back down at Russell who didn't know what was happening, but didn't like it. He sat down near the couch, his ears down along with his head. Edward shut the door behind him, not caring enough to lock it. He held onto Bella tightly and when he reached the garage of the complex, he set her gently into the car, brushing the hair away from her face and getting in the front seat._

_The twenty minute drive across Lake Union was the longest drive in his life. As if even though so many signs told him to do this, something was telling him not to do this. Or maybe he wanted to spend more time with her, even if she was unconscious. But none of that mattered now, because it was happening. Whether he liked it or not. And he really didn't like it. In fact, he hated it. He hated everything about this. But he couldn't do anything. It had to be done._

_When he was across the lake, in an old abandoned restaurant parking lot, Edward called a taxi and made sure that his car was well hidden. When he saw the taxi coming down the winding road, he put his hood up and grabbed Bella from his car, lifting her and waiting for the taxi._

_When it arrived, Edward opened the back door, ignoring the fact that the taxi man was staring straight at him, confused as hell. Edward set Bella's sleeping form down in the back seat, buckling her up and taking in a deep breath. _

_This was it. This was their goodbye. And she didn't even know it. _

_He reached forward and pressing a lingering kiss to her cheek, trying to keep his emotions from pouring out. He never cried – Edward never shed a tear. But right here, in this moment, he could feel them swimming dangerously close to his bottom lids, ready to escape. _

"_I'm sorry I have to do this. I'm so fucking sorry." He whispered in her ear, pressing a kiss to her lobe. "Please, be safe. Don't try to come and find me. Just know that I love you. More than anything in this world." He said mournfully with a shudder that escaped from his body, kissing her cheek once again. "Try to forget me and live the life you should have. But know that I will always love you. I fucking swear." He let_ _out a deep breath and reluctantly began pulling away, kissing her forehead gently before letting go of her entirely. He didn't look up at the cab driver and instead stared down at Bella._

"_Take her to the local hospital and nowhere else. If I find out she doesn't make it there in at least an hour, know that I will find you, and I will kill you." He told the driver who stood motionless in the front seat. Edward shoved him a handful of cash and stepped out of the way, closing the door. _

_Edward reached his fingers out, wanting to touch her one more time but before his fingers reached the glass, the driver, who was determined to get her to the hospital, drove off, leaving Edward in empty parking lot, alone. _

"Well?" Aro asked, raising a brow, bringing Edward out of the painful memory. He looked up at his boss who stared at him with piercing eyes.

"Sir, I haven't the slightest clue as to where Miss Swan is." Edward finally said with a nod.

"He's a fucking liar Aro! I told you what I saw at his place!" Felix yelled, but Aro lifted his hand to silence him. Edward stayed motionless across the desk, staring with just much as intensity as Aro was.

"What do you have to say about this accusation, Edward?" Aro asked calmly. Edward didn't falter and instead, stared right up at Felix.

"This accusation is completely false. Felix is angered by the fact that I am your right hand man, and he will do anything to kick me out of my place which includes lying to you. I have no idea where Miss. Swan is, and that is the truth. If you want to go invade my home, then you must. Just know, you will find nothing there." Edward said honestly, watching as Felix gaped in horror.

"Because he moved her! He knew I found out, and he fucking moved her! How do you explain my keys at your place, Masen? Or the fucking bra and shoes? I know she's there you motherfucker! Or she was there!" Felix spit, and this time Aro didn't say anything, and just waited for Edward's answer.

"With all due respect, Felix, I found your keys in front of my home weeks ago. I didn't know whose they were at the time so I put them in my kitchen. If you claim they are yours, then you are admitting to sneaking around behind Aro's back. Planning what, may I ask? And on the other hand, I have many female friends. More so than you." Edward smirked inwardly. "I'm sure that Miss. Swan isn't the only one who wears converses. Or bras. Quite frankly I know she isn't the only one, considering I have unclasped many in my lifetime. So next time you decide to come snooping around my home, then know that you won't leave with just a bite mark from my dog and instead will leave in a body bag. And I can assure you of that." Edward smiled condescendingly as Felix opened his mouth, wide and in shock.

"He. Is. Fucking. Lying!" Felix spat. Edward stood unmoving though, all emotions from his face wiped away. He had just lied. And it wasn't the fact of why he was lying, but what he lied of. Of course he had many girls who have attended to his needs – but those girls were forgotten memories. He couldn't even remember their names. He could only think of one. And not once did he ever _fuck _her. It was all out of love. Every single time.

And him saying this things, made it seem like he was spitting on their relationship. Even if they were completely false – even if he didn't mean a word. But it still hurt him, and made him believe that wherever Bella was she knew he was saying these things, and hating him even more than she probably already did.

And it fucking broke him.

But he kept up a straight stance and glared right at Felix, a satisfied smirk placing on his own lips as Aro rolled his eyes at his comment.

"Felix, why were you at Edward's in the first place? I never gave you any sort of order to follow him." Aro asked, watching as Felix rounded to the front of the desk.

"He set me up, A. He fucking set me up. And I know he has her! The dirty bastard is just good at playing the game!" Felix growled between his teeth. "You just can't fucking see it!"

"I can see perfectly well. And Edward is not at fault for the girl. You are clearly too self absorbed to admit that you fucked up. And trying to put one of my best men on the line? You already messed up with the girl before – putting your grimy hands on her. Why wouldn't I expect this from you? You are just as worthless as a _povero_. And you are walking on a very fine line. If you except to stay in the Volturi then it is in your best interest to take what I say to heart. Do not mess up again. For I swear to you it will be your last." Aro hissed, watching as Felix took down a big gulp, his Adam's apple bobbing. "You may leave."

Felix turned around coming eye to eye with Edward who frowned – but his eyes were vacant and Felix could tell. He wouldn't give up on this – he knew Edward has the girl, or had the girl. He would come out on top, he would triumph all who thought he was wrong. And with one last glare he walked out of the office and stomped off out of the building.

"Edward." Aro said softly, "Please, forgive me for Felix."

"Nothing I haven't dealt with before." Edward shrugged nonchalantly. Felix was a pest, and both men knew this. "He will come to learn his lesson, I'm sure."

"I know you aren't to be to blame for this. At least we had some kind of value off her before she disappeared." Aro said, sighing as he began going through paper work. "Goes to show that people have more than what meets the eye. Who knew such a dainty person could go escape one of the biggest crime mobs in all of times." Aro stated, but Edward said nothing. A silence went between them, and Aro watched as Edward stood still – unmoving. Something was wrong. "Is there something on your mind, Edward?"

"Sir." Edward began with a nod. "I need to speak to you of some urgent matters."

"And what would that be, Masen?" Aro asked, raising a curious brow.

Edward took a step forward, his arms coming together and crossing over his chest as he let out a low rumble of a voice, "My resignation."

* * *

**Okay. Now you know what has happened, and I'm pretty sure you probably all hate me right now. But it was her time to go.**

**And I know I'm going to get people who say that Edward should have gone a better way of doing it, and your right, but like I said in earlier chapters - people do things without thinking. It's human nature. We're all pretty stupid. **

**I hope you guys like this chapter. Everything will be answered soon enough. I promise. **

**Thanks to my wonderful beta, Lauren who is awesome. As always.**  
**And thanks to you guys for reading.**

**Now, go review. Puhlease *puppy dog face*.**

**xoxo**  
**- s**


	23. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

August 17th 2010

A pair of feet ran hard against the pavement of the sidewalk, never stopping, always moving forward. This person wasn't running to something, but more so running away. He was running away from everything – his doubt, his worry, his life, _thoughts_ _of her_. The thought that sprung in his mind forced him to go faster, like gas to a car. His muscles were straining, his body protesting, telling him that he should stop, but he wouldn't listen. He continued and kept going and going, until it became too much. Until his body forcibly shut down.

The rare Seattle sun beat down on his chest that moved up and down at an abnormally fast pace. His legs burned and seared with pain and his arms were weak as he tried to lean against a tree and he ended up falling to the ground, his back against the trunk. An oncoming jogger stopped to see the man who collapsed to the floor, head in his arms as his back heaved up and down.

"Hey, man." The jogger said. "You okay?"

He stepped cautiously forward only to be greeted with a pair of blazing emerald eyes. He didn't want to be bothered with, and the jogger now knew that. He stepped away; bringing his arms up in surrender and began back at his normal jog and away from the crumbling man.

Edward could feel his body shaking and he wiped his face from the sweat and sucked in a deep breath. There was a pain in his chest, like it was hard to breathe. But everything seemed to be harder now. He couldn't move on, he couldn't find a distraction. Everything he did; everything he thought about doing, only lead to the memory of _her_.

"Fuck." Edward spat angrily as she popped up once again in his thoughts. He dug his head into his arms and let out an angry sob, but no tears produced from his eyes. He just sat there, shaking and heaving until his mouth was dry, until he could do nothing but stay motionless.

He couldn't get her off his mind. She was like a parasite stuck onto his brain, repeating memories of them over and over again. He remembered when they laid together on the couch, reading assortments of different books and arguing on which ones were the best. He remembered the time when Bella attempted to grill burgers up on the roof top, trying to flip them with his spatula resulting in all of them on the floor. He smiled at the memory.

And then his mind began filtering to something else – to the countless times they shared the bed, naked and wanton with love. Edward couldn't stop himself from traveling to those thoughts – he could still remember the feel of her soft skin, the glow of her slightly pink cheeks, and the sparkle in her deep brown eyes when they were conjoined. He could still taste her lips against his; feel her hands in his hair and her voice calling out his name in pure ecstasy.

Edward growled loudly, his fist ramming into the ground as he stood still, trying to let the memories fade past him. But they never will. They would always be there.

Edward stood from the spot, grabbing the tree for support as he tried to run again. His body, though, was not having it and forced him to limp his way home. At some point on his way back, the sun had settled behind the clouds and rain began pouring down and by the time he reached the apartment complex he was soaked. He didn't care, though. Everything seemed to go right past him as if it never happened. He walked into the elevator, ran his fingers through his wet hair and stepped out once he reached his floor.

He noticed that Russell wasn't as playful as he used to be, when he walked inside it was no surprise the dog was laying by the couch, bored and depressed. Edward knew how he felt. He limped his way into the bathroom and took a hot shower, finding himself only leaning against the wall trying very hard not to collapse. It wasn't easy. All he wanted to do was hide under the world and never come out.

His shower was relatively short, when he dried off and got dressed he walked past his bed that remained un-slept in and headed for the corner that was covered in empty boxes. He grabbed one and went to the shelves of books and began packing each one away, not taking notice of their title or their importance.

He just set them in the box and continued on.

Xx

Everything was dark and the only thing that could be heard was Bella's own breathing; deep and shallow. She didn't know how she got here, wherever _here_ was. She was huddled in a corner; the only light coming in was through the slits of the door in front of her as she felt confined into one spot. She looked up to see clothes swaying above her and just in front was shoes stacked perfectly on top of one another. Her body began shaking, as her eyes look straight through the slits of the door only to see the one room she didn't expect to see.

A few large steps could be heard just before a door swung open to reveal the form of the brown eyed man who stepped into the bedroom and looked from corner to corner, finally laying his eyes on the closet. She couldn't run – she could only sit and watch, she could only see that his eyes had changed from brown to black and he was moving closer and closer to her, watching from the slits of the closet door. Her heart was beating at a pace where it began to hurt, her throat dry as tears slipped down her cheeks. He was getting closer to her, so close that she could smell the cigarettes stained on his clothes and the alcohol on his breath.

"Come on out, _Isabella_." He hissed venomously, causing her to cringe. He was so close, just one step he could open that door and when she heard it fling open she turned her head, only to open them to realize she wasn't in that closet anymore.

The room was dark and cold and her body was laying on something hard. Her head perked as she brought her arms to her shoulders rubbing them gently. She had seen this room before – had been in here before, she could feel it. She turned to see a small lamp in the corner, a door leading into a moldy bathroom and another door with a window that was blacked out with spray paint.

Bella let out a shuddering sob as she knew she was back in _that_ basement. She stood from the squeaky bed and ran to the door, pulling it open only to find it was locked. Bella let out a loud cry, slamming her fists against it over and over again.

"Let me out!" She screamed, pounding against the door but no one came. Her fists were going red but she didn't stop – not until she felt something wet against her feet. It was sticky everywhere and when Bella lifted her foot she could feel it dripping off. She looked down to see red seeping along the floor, underneath the door and to the other side. The strong smell of copper invaded her senses and Bella could feel herself getting nauseous.

"_Bella_?" A soft voice whispered and Bella froze, remembering that voice – remembering who it belonged to. "Bella…" The voice called out again and Bella felt her knuckles tense, her body standing still until she began to turn around.

A few steps behind her, just near her bed stood Bree. Her dark long hair was matted with dirt, her eyes empty and voided as her throat leaked blood, it dripping to the floor. Her cheeks were sunken in and dark circles created under her eyes. It was Bree – but it wasn't. She was like a ghost. Bella's face flushed pale and she shook her head, feeling the tears pour from her eyes.

"No…" Bella whispered, pushing herself against the wall as she tried to get as far away from white girl as she possibly could.

"Bella…" Bree whispered reaching her hand out towards Bella, her finger pointing straight at her. "You…" Bree said, her voice dropping an octave lower. Bella cried as she huddled into a corner, watching as Bree's ghostly figure watched her with evil eyes. "You did this." She completed her sentence.

"No! I didn't!" Bella cried out, curling herself into the corner as she closed her eyes. The voice of Bree disappeared and Bella felt her body relaxing momentarily, up until she opened her eyes again. Bree's body stood before her, reaching out and grabbing her wrists as blood from her neck began covering Bella. Bella let out a loud scream, trying to take her grip away from Bree but she wouldn't budge.

"You did this!" Bree growled and Bella shook her head, watching in horror as blood continued to pour down onto her body.

"No!" Bella screamed, over and over again, thrashing against her dead friend as she tried to get away as Bree continually repeated herself. Bella felt trapped – and she felt in those moments she was going to die.

"Bella!" A new voice called out – a motherly voice.

Bella continued to scream, feeling as Bree's hands were dissipating and leaving entirely.

"BELLA!" Renee called out and Bella had finally awoken, her body thrashing as she realized the screams that were echoing against the walls were her own. "Bella! Baby! Wake up!" Renee shook her daughter continuously and finally Bella's eyes were wide open, her body still but flushed pale. "Bella…" Renee cried out, resting her hand against her daughter's cheek. "Sweetie, you're shaking." Renee gasped as she reached down and rubbed Bella's arms.

Bella was trying to take in the scene - she turned her head to see that she was back in her room in Phoenix, the one she had been in for a few weeks now and her mother, who was in her robe, was hovering over her as she laid on her bed that was chaotic from her apparent nightmare. She looked out the window to the side of her to see that it was still dark, the crescent moon hanging brightly in the sky, only a few clouds in its way.

"You're okay…" Renee whispered, coaxing Bella to relax. She felt sweat dripping down her brow but once she realized that she was safe – her body began to loosen.

"I'm sorry." Bella cried with silent tears.

"Don't be sorry baby." Renee smiled sadly. "Another nightmare?" She asked, hoping that maybe this time she would want to talk to her about, even if it was the middle of the night. Bella only shook her head though, her mouth becoming too dry to talk. "This is the fifth one this week, Bella." Renee sighed, running her fingers along her Bella's forehead and swiping back pieces of hair the clung to her sweaty skin. "You're really starting to scare me."

"I'm fine." Bella's voice was weak, indicating to Renee that everything was not alright.

"Do you need me to get you something? Some warm milk? A heating blanket?" Renee asked, trying her best to help her daughter in any way she could. Bella shook her head and let down a deep gulp.

"I'm sorry for waking you up." Bella whispered and Renee only smiled forlornly and shook her head.

"It's okay." She went silent for a moment, contemplating her words before starting again. "I'm just glad you decided to move back here for the time being. I would hate it if you were going through this back at your apartment alone." Renee sighed, touching Bella's cheek. Bella didn't want to move back in with Renee. Actually the term _decided to move back_ was completely false. She didn't decide to move back. On her return back to Phoenix, she found out her mother had talked her way out of Bella's lease and all of her stuff was already moved back to Renee and Phil's. She didn't really mind. At least it made Renee happier. She herself wasn't exactly thrilled about it.

"You know…" Renee began, the light off the moon shining down on the side of her face. "You have been through a lot. And I know, after experiences like the one you had – well these nightmares are common… But they still worry me, Bella. _You_ still worry me." Renee told her.

"I'm okay." Bella whispered, reaching out and playing with the threads that escaped from her blanket.

"Baby, you know I will support you on anything you do…" Renee stopped and reached out to grab Bella's chin, forcing her to look up at her, "But I really do think you should see someone."

"Mom…" Bella countered.

"Bella, I'm serious. These nightmares may go away if you just… Talk about it." Renee sighed, watching as Bella went silent, slipping back into her coma-like state. "Sweetie, I know this is hard for you…"

"Mom…" Bella said sternly. "I just… I just want to go back to bed."

Renee took in a deep breath and with a forced half smile she nodded and tucked a piece of hair behind Bella's ear just before leaning in and pressing a kiss to her forehead. She lingered there for a moment, rubbing her arms before finally standing up and letting go.

"Sleep well." Renee told her and walked out of the room, quietly closing the door behind her. Bella settled into her large bed but felt extremely small. She didn't like it anymore – there was only one bed she wanted to be in.

And she wondered if he was sleeping there. If he was clutching his pillow just like she was doing to hers. She wondered if he still thought about her, if he regretted what happened. But then she remembered that he was the one who separated them and that sent a shock of sadness through her, and she knew that he wasn't clutching his pillow like she was, and he wasn't thinking about her just like she always thought of him. He didn't want her anymore – and she was almost positive that he was clutching onto some blonde instead of holding onto the memories of them.

Bella let out a soft sob and shoved her face into her pillow to quiet herself as she cried herself back to sleep.

Xx

"Isabella Marie!" The thick Irish accent was loud and shrilling and half of the staff cringed at the noise. A little petite woman with thick red hair stomped down the hallways of the mansion as she checked every single room she possibly could. "Isabella Marie, I swear to the high heavens if you do not answer me…"

"Uh… Chef Maggie?" A maid popped out of the corner, catching Maggie's eye. Her eyebrow rose, her arms folding over her chest as she let out a small huff for the maid to continue. "Miss. Bella is out riding."

Maggie lifted her arm, reading her watch just before stomping to the window, pulling back the ivory curtains only to see in the far distance, a figure of a horse and someone on it riding along the fields. Maggie let out a tempered breath of air, fixating her eyes right on girl on the horse before shoving the curtains back and stomping her way out of the house.

Across the acres of fields, hair was whipping around Bella's face as she clicked her tongue and gently nudged her horse's side to coax her into going faster. The black horse neighed in contentment and flew faster than she already was. Bella held on tightly to the reins, loving the old feeling of being on her horse. As they passed the wooded area and the lake across the bridge, Bella pulled the reins to slow Adara down who came to a slow walking pace.

"Easy girl." Bella said, reaching down to rub her neck. They walked all the way back to the barn and as the reached the top of the hill Bella slid her leg over and jumped off her horse easily despite the big fall. She brought the reins over Adara's head and held them in her arms as she clicked her tongue, bringing her horse to follow her.

Things were tough for Bella. She constantly had trouble falling asleep but when she did get to bed, she was plagued with nightmares. They were almost as worse as memories. Almost. Nightmares were made up – they would never happen. But the memories are what Bella could look back on, and they would never change. The outcome of her relationship with _him_ would never change. And every time she would think about them, she could feel her body growing weaker. She tried to keep her exterior as shaped up as she could, but inside she was crying.

But despite all the emotions that flooded her, she knew she always had something here to make her smile sincerely. And that was her horse. Bella brought her hand up, running along Adara's cheek just before rubbing it gently. She remembered the first night she came home from Forks. Everyone had thought she was sleeping and Garrett, Bella's bodyguard, carried her up to her room.

But if she were being honest, she would admit that she hadn't been sleeping. She was faking, knowing that everyone would want to see her – Maggie, Garrett, her maids, the whole staff – but Bella couldn't face them. Not when she was like that. Not when all she wanted to do was cry and hide under her covers.

So when she was sure everyone went to sleep that night, she snuck out to the barn – only knowing she wanted to see someone special. And that was Adara.

_Bella slid the door open with a soft thud and watched as some of the horses had perked their heads up, their eyes ready to investigate whoever had disturbed their sleep. Bella began walking, watching as all the different color horses stuck their noses out of their stalls, huffing and neighing as a hello. When she passed one individual stall, the horse let out a loud whine and forced Bella to laugh at his ways of telling her not to neglect him._

"_Hey, Rocket." Bella said, her hand going through the bars where the white horse huffed loudly but set his nose to the palm of her hand. She smiled weakly and pulled her hand out, walking down the large corridor and looking to each individual horse and whispering them a hello. It wasn't until she reached the last stall where she felt a lump in her throat. It was if the horse could sense her presence and its head perked up, its body moving so that her nose was sticking between the metal bars and a loud neigh exhaling from her chest. _

_Bella smiled, feeling tears well up in her eyes instantaneously. The horse stomped its feet, awaiting Bella's attention, watching as she continually stepped closer. After everything that happened – after what had gone down in the past few weeks – just in the slightest second Bella thought that maybe she wouldn't be able to get over Edward, but she could have a piece of happiness here with this beautiful creature. The horse cried loudly hating the lack of affection Bella was showing her after they had been apart for so long. Bella couldn't help but laugh soft as she stepped forward, feeling the tears fall down her cheeks._

"_Hi baby." Bella cried. She grabbed Adara's muzzle and kissed the top of her nose as her tears fell to the horses black fur, wetting individual spots. The horse neighed its contentment, nuzzling itself closer between the bars attempting to get closer. Bella pushed her hand onto Adara's muzzle, pushing her away from the bars as she began to undo the locks on the stall and pushed back the door where the two had no barrier between them. _

_Bella watched as the large animal took a few steps forward out into the hallway, the two of them standing in front of each other, a tiny human and a magnificent horse – locking gazes for a few moments before Adara turned, showing Bella her neck – a sign of wanting attention. Bella let out a soft laugh reaching forward and stroking down Adara's black fur just before she couldn't stand to be so far away. She stepped forward, throwing her arms around Adara's neck and cried into it gently. Adara let out a soft snort as Bella wet a spot on her fur from the tears. She had missed Adara so much – and she didn't even realize it until she was standing in front of her._

_Bella had been so consumed with Edward that she didn't even have time to think about her horse – about how her absence could have affected her. Bella pulled away, grabbing Adara's muzzle and kissing the spot between her eyes. _

"_I'm so sorry. I won't leave you again. Okay?" Bella said, nodding her head. "And if I do, it won't be for long. I'll always come back. I swear." _

_The horse blew a breath through its nose, sending some pieces of Bella's hair flying back. She laughed and turned around, heading into the door of the equipment room. She knew that she may still be broken but riding her horse would make her feel momentously better. At least for now._

_Bella grabbed Adara's saddle, throwing it gently over her back and buckling it up. She grabbed the reins as well from the room, coaxing Adara to move her head down which she did instantaneously at Bella's command, allowing her to attach the reigns on. Bella lifted the reigns over the horse's neck and began walking in front of her, well aware that the horse didn't need to be guided and would follow her anywhere. Adara walked right behind Bella and at times nudged her with her nose, forcing a rare smile to crack on Bella's face as she turned back to look at her playful horse. When they reached the end of the barn the two stopped and Bella noticed that the storm had passed and it was clear enough to go on a night ride._

_Bella grabbed the reigns with one hand and the horn of the saddle with the other, bringing her leg up to set her foot in the stirrup and swinging herself on effortlessly. It had been a long time since Bella was sitting this high and she looked down only to feel the instant rush flow back through her veins. Bella clicked her tongue and gently pushed her heel into Adara's side, the horse stepping forward and out towards the gate that entered the acres of fields. The rode at a slow pace at first, but finally Bella had pushed her heel gently into Adara's side twice, the horse letting out a reasonable huff as she began picking up speed. _

Bella opened the door to the barn and led Adara inside. She brought her to the small box in the corner and began undoing all the belts and buckles of the saddles and sliding it off, setting it in the room where it belonged before returning to Adara to work on the reins.

"Isabella Marie Swan." A voice came from the opening of the barn. Bella closed her eyes tightly, biting at her lip as she moved to the side, trying to hide behind her horse. "I know ya there. I can see ya legs."

Bella cursed under her breath and stepped back into the opening, finally setting her eyes on Maggie who had her arms crossed tightly over her chest and her eyes narrowed straight for Bella. She gulped and placed her hand on her horse as if in need of protection.

"Hi Maggie." Bella smiled weakly.

"Do not '_Hi_' me. Ya know why I'm here." Maggie told her, pointing a waving finger at her. Bella sighed and ignored Maggie for a moment so she could take the reins off of Adara before clicking her tongue and patting the horses back.

"Field." Bella said simply and the horse huffed and began walking out of the barn and to the open gate where other horses roamed and grazed in the acres of meadows. Bella followed with Maggie right next to her as she shut the gate and locked it.

"Ya know what I have to say to ya." Maggie began next to her as both of them stared out to the open field.

"Yeah, I know." Bella said.

"Bella, ya need to eat." Maggie told her, "I am not opposed to getting on my knees and begging ya."

"I'm just not hungry, Maggie." Bella shrugged, pushing the hair out of her eyes. "I can't help when I'm hungry and when I'm not. It just... Happens."

"Ya have eaten nothing but a bite of toast since you've been here for two weeks. _Two weeks_, Isabella! I can already see ya losing weight. Look at ya shirt! It's hanging off of ya, cause' your only skin and bones!" Maggie cried loudly as Bella rolled her eyes at her emphasizing every little thing.

"I had dinner last night and I occasionally eat lunch." Bella told her.

"_Occasionally_. Ya don't even eat breakfast!" Maggie scoffed.

"No one does! Who has time for breakfast? And I am not skin and bone. This shirt is always been big on me." Bella stated.

"Next thing ya know ya gonna be passing out in the middle of riding Adara, and then what? You'll fall off and crack ya head open! Ya so thick sometimes! Just like ya mother!" Maggie growled. "Ya need to start eating. And if I have to sneak into ya room and shove a feeding tube down ya throat while ya sleepin', then as God as my witness I will!"

"Do you even hear yourself sometimes?" Bella laughed, shaking her head.

"Do ya _hear me_, Isabella? I am not playing around!" Maggie yelled and Bella rolled her eyes, nodding her head.

"I hear you." Bella said lowly, bringing one arm up to press against the inside of her elbow as Maggie swiftly turned around and stalked off back to the house. Bella let out a deep breath of air and sullenly followed.

She ate half of a turkey sub with the side of strawberries for lunch that day. It had been the biggest meal she had eaten. All the other times they had lunch or dinner, Bella would only end up eating a few bites before pushing the food around the plate.

And she wasn't even forcing herself not to eat. She just wasn't hungry. Quite frankly, she wasn't really into doing anything. And she hated feeling that way. She hated feeling like all her energy was sucked up and taken away, leaving her as an empty void. She knew her family was worried – Phil always watched her with a steady eye as Renee was more open about it, begging her to go to some kind of counseling. Bella refused it all and turned away, not wanting to have to resort to a shrink when deep down she knew that it was something she should probably do.

Bella made her way up the stairs and to her bedroom where she sat at her vanity mirror. It wasn't just her attitude that had changed – but she had changed physically as well. Maggie was right, she had lost weight. Nothing drastic, just a few pounds but still enough to notice. Dark circles rested under her eyes as her hair was flat against her chest. She normally wore it up now.

Bella took in a deep breath and stared at herself in the mirror, her eyes lingering down to her neck where a gold ring glinted from the light of the window. She reached up and touched the cold item just before pulling the chain from around her neck and bringing it up to view. It was the last thing she ever thought she would wear around her neck, but it was the only thing besides her memory that was left of _him_.

"_Sweetie?" Renee knocked on the hospital door and slid her way in the room. Bella sat in the seat next to the window, her legs up and her head rested on her knees. She was still in her hospital gown and Renee walked in slowly, setting a pair of clothes onto the bed. Bella looked over and saw her mother, giving her a weak smile. _

"_Hi." Bella said as she rubbed her arm._

"_Hi baby." Renee walked over to her daughter and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "You ready to get home?" _

_Bella's smile was small – so small that she couldn't even feel it, let alone could anyone see it. But she tried – she tried her damn hardest to act as if she were eager to go back to Phoenix. But Renee saw right through her daughter. _

"_We'll get through this. I promise you." Renee said and Bella nodded slowly. "Our plane leaves a six. I brought you clothes to change into. They are the ones you were wearing when you were brought in." Renee began to chuckle to herself and Bella lifted her head to see what her mother was doing. "I was in such a rush to get here; both your father and I forgot to bring you clothes!" Renee laughed and Bella let out a forced chuckle. "Just wear these for now, Charlie is getting one of his friends to drive your luggage here. You can change at the airport. Okay?" Renee asked, running her fingers along Bella's hair. Bella nodded and pushed her back against the wall she was leaning against. _

"_Thank you." Bella said. _

"_No problem, Angel. I'll let you get dressed." Renee leaned down, pressing a kiss to Bella's forehead and turned to walk out. She lingered at the door for a moment, watching as her daughter looked back out the window and disconnected herself from reality._

_After Renee left, Bella stood from her chair and began unknotting the gown she wore and slid it off. She picked up her folded clothes on the bed and began putting her bra and panties on along with her shirt and her jeans. _

_And as she slid up her jeans and felt something hard in her back pocket. Bella shoved her hand into the pocket and pulled out a solid object, bringing it up to her eyesight. And what she saw nearly broke her down to tears, nearly forced a racking sob to echo in the hallways and bring her to her knees. Her hand covered her mouth as the item dropped to the floor like it was on fire. Bella stepped back, watching as it landed directly in front of her. _

_It was his ring. It was Edward's ring._

Bella didn't quite know why it was there, or how it had gotten there. She had seen him wear it and never take it off – so she couldn't quite fathom how it ended up in her pocket. Her finger traced the letter M that was engraved in the gold as she wondered when he put it in her pocket – or if it had been accident. She wasn't quite sure how a ring could accidently fall into someone's pocket, but she wasn't quite sure why he would give it to her. She had come to the conclusion that it was either an accident or a gift. A gift that told her the silent words of _I'm sorry I couldn't love you back. Take my ring and do what you want with it. _

Bella didn't know how she was suppose to react. And she wasn't quite sure what he wanted her to do with it, or what he thought she could have possibly done with it. Destroy it? Throw it in the garbage disposal? Sell it at a pawn shop? It was pure gold – she was sure she could have gotten a couple of hundreds out of it.

But the thoughts left as soon as they came. She couldn't destroy it or sell it. Because no matter how much he hurt her, no matter what his intentions were or what he wanted her to do with it, it was his. Or it had been. And that was better than nothing. She had hoped that maybe through this ring, she could still feel connected with him even if all he wanted was to be disconnected from her. So she had found an old thin chain and slid it on through and wore it as a necklace.

It wasn't what she wanted – but it was the only thing she had.

A few hours later in the evening time, Bella sat on top of the wooded white fence that entered the field where the horses grazed. The sun was setting behind the mountains, and a few streaks of orange and yellow poured over the mountain top and to the fields of grass. The wind blew past Bella's hair that was back and pulled into a messy bun, the small strips of her hair that came out of it wafting through the wind. Her arms crossed over her chest as she watched the many horses take their time in eating before they had to head into the barn for the night.

It couldn't have been any more beautiful, sitting here and watching the sunset go down beyond the mountains – but she felt empty, she felt a void inside of her that didn't dissipate. It had been there for awhile, ever since she woke up in the hospital. And every time she thought about it, she cried. She missed Edward so much, that it hurt to think about him. To think about what they had, and what they went through together. He was the first one for her to fall in love with, and she was his – though she knew all he did was lie to her. He tried winning her over with charm, and it worked. He sweet talked his way right into his bed, with her right beside him.

But Bella didn't like to think about that. She had hoped that maybe he _did _love her. Maybe at some point the feelings were mutual. She just didn't know when they stopped.

A lonesome tear fell down Bella's cheek as she heard a car pulling into the dirt driveway near the barn. She wiped it quickly and turned to see headlights turn off and Phil open up the barn door. Bella watched as an old man stepped out of the truck, and someone who was hidden by it on the passenger side. Phil shook the old man's hand as they chatted quietly off to the side. The mysterious other person, who was facing with his back towards Bella said something to Phil and that's when he looked up at Bella and muttered something.

Bella watched as the mysterious man turned around, and the last face she ever expected to see was smiling right at her. Not some kind of fake _I'm so sorry what you went through_ kind of smile, but a sincere _it is great to see you_ kind of smile. And it was the last person she expected to ever look at her like that.

It was Trevor.

Xx

Alice was on a mission.

The sketches in her hands had to be in her boss's hands in exactly ten minutes and fifty three seconds. Never once had Alice ran in heels – but this day she did. She was running across streets with busy traffic, waving down people who were in her way. She had never muttered apologies so much in her life.

When she had finally arrived at the office, after nearly being run over by taxi's at least a hundred times, she flew up the stairs in heels – too much involved in an adrenaline rush to use the elevator. Once she reached the eighth floor she causally walked through the hallways, still looking as perfect as ever as people smiled at her as they passed. Alice smiled back, despite the fact that her heart was hammering in her chest and her legs felt like they were going to liquefy right there in the middle of walking to her bosses office.

Before she knocked on the door she fixed her pencil skirt and brushed away the lint on her shoulder. She knocked three times before she heard the okay to enter.

"Miss. Cullen." Her boss smiled eagerly as he looked her up and down.

"Mr. Eli." Alice nodded. "I have the designs you asked me to have to you."

Mr. Eli, or James, nodded his head and reached forward as Alice handed him her folder. She had been waiting for this opportunity for months, and here it was finally in her grasp. Only if she could get him to like her designs. James opened the folder and flipped through the numerous of pages of sketches. He brought his thumb to his mouth, stopping and eyeing at one small rough draft before shaking his head glumly and turning the next page. Alice's heart dropped as she watched him, her fine manicured nails chipping as she clicked them together.

"Ah, what is this?" James said, stopping at a certain design. Alice lifted on her tiptoes in her shoes to see what he was looking at. "I love the color. You've outdone yourself Alice." Alice had reached far enough to see it was the cream dress that was one sleeve and had a few white delicate flowers that covered the one shoulder of the one sleeve.

"Oh yes, that was one of my favorite." Alice lied. It was alright. Not her best. But she would have said that it was her favorite even if it were a trash bag. If James liked it, then so did she.

"Your techniques on this are a little old. I've seen this design before. But that color and the flowers just make it pop." James smiled. "I can see this in next year's spring line."

"Really?" Alice eyes lit up.

"Oh, yes. But maybe…" James began but trailed off.

"What?" Alice asked, her heart in her throat.

"I'd have to see it on something first. Or someone." He eyes trailed suggestively up her body. "Maybe you can come over for dinner sometime, have it ready and you can try it on for me?"

Alice's throat went dry. She knew James liked they way she looked – and most girls would keel over if given this opportunity but something about James made Alice shiver. He was – odd. He always stared at her, always watched her and bites his lip while doing it, as if he's thinking of her and him together. Alice didn't like that. She hated it when the guys her age did it, but her boss? It was even worse.

"Um…" Alice began, fingering at her nails again. "Maybe." She smiled, shrugging her shoulders.

"We'll make an appointment together. Say six o'clock next Thursday?" He asked, typing it into his computer.

"Um, let me get back to you on that. Okay?" Alice asked and James nodded his head sternly.

"Don't keep me waiting, Miss. Cullen." James hissed, sending a shiver down her spine. Alice nodded her head with a smile and began backwards towards the door. "Oh, and Alice?" He said before she had left. "Good job."

Alice nodded with a smile and left the room.

She stood outside his office for a moment, just for a second in pure silence besides the workers around her. And then she began to jump in place kicking and dancing around like a fool as she held in her screams. Once she finished she noticed everyone staring at her, but she couldn't give two shits. She fixed her skirt and smiled to herself, feeling ambitious and proud.

She didn't care if James was such a freak – he told her _good job_ which was more than anyone else had gotten in this store.

Alice began walking down the marble hallway, feeling a big swell in her chest. She couldn't stop smiling. That was until she noticed someone at their desk reading the Seattle Times. Alice narrowed her eyes at the front page and stepped closer, only to see a familiar face. Alice quickly grabbed the paper out of the intern's hand, which he had gasped quite loudly and stood from his desk.

"Hey!" He screamed but Alice shushed him and turned to the front page.

_Kidnapped Girl, Isabella Swan, Return's Home_.

Alice's eyes widened as she read through the article but even more when she stared at the picture. Her fingers trailed over the image and for the first time in her life she despised her brother. She lifted her head, rolled up the newspaper and took off with it – knowing that she and Edward had _a lot_ to talk about.

* * *

**Author's Note;**

**Oh Bella. I hate writing her like this, so depressed. But let's be honest, if you were in her situation you wouldn't exactly be all sunshine and rainbows either, right? **

**Sorry it took so long for this to get out – the good news is I have a good chunk of the next chapter done so it won't be as long as a wait.**

**But I'm going on vacation in like two weeks with my best friend and family so I'll be a little pre-occupied. But I'm taking my laptop with me so I can work on both this story and TOSOY.**

**Okay, hang in there with me alright? Just a few more chapters of this (Give me at most three) and we will get back into what I know you all want. Alright?**

**As always thank you to my beta Lauren,**

**And also to you guys for reading.**

**Review and in exchange (as normally) you'll get a sneak peak to the next chapter.**

**xoxo **

**- s**

eAnd Aaaaaa


	24. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

Alice leaned her back against the railing of the elevator, her arms crossed tightly over her chest as she impatiently watched the numbers rise up, indicating each floor. In the reflection of the elevator she could see the rolled up newspaper in her back pocket and all over again she had become even angrier at her brother. She understood his reasoning and even accepted why he did what he did, but she still couldn't get over it. Once the elevator had stopped she stepped out, her leather boots clinking against the wood floor until she reached the right door. She opened her purse, rummaging through it before grabbing her keys, shoving it in the lock and opening the door only to find that no one was there besides Russell who sat near the door, ears perked but surprisingly uninterested by the intrusion.

She did notice, though, the many boxes that sat across the apartment, some opened and others taped up. She took in a deep breath and walked forward, ready to stomp through the bedroom to see if her brother was sleeping. As she passed the sofa that was pointed away from her, she threw her purse over the back of it, it landing with a thud, and a groan from it causing her to stop and turn.

"What the fuck?" Edward spat angrily. He shoved the purse to the floor and lifted himself up where a loud crack filled the room. Edward groaned, reaching for his back. "Fuck!" He roared, running his fingers through his hair.

"You do realize you have a bed, right?" Alice asked, her voice sharp, clipped.

"What do you want Alice?" Edward growled, lifting himself up.

"Why haven't you been answering my calls?" She spat, walking to the front of the couch to grab her purse that Edward had pushed on the floor. She walked around it, setting it on the small table before raising her brows and setting her hands against her hips in a very Alice manor.

"I don't have fucking time to answer your calls. If you haven't noticed, I've been a bit preoccupied." He said, waving his arms around the room that was filled with boxes.

"Yeah, what's up with this? You're moving out?" Alice asked.

"Yeah, something like that." Edward said sarcastically with a roll of his eyes.

"Well, when you get the chance you need to tell mom. You know she's worried sick about you. Quite frankly, so am I. Though I have several different reasons to be worried about you." She told him, eyeing him cautiously.

"And what the fuck is that suppose to mean?" Edward growled, turning to glare at his sister.

"It means exactly what you think it means." She reached behind her in her back pocket and unrolled the newspaper, walking up to him and shoving it down on the counter right in front of him. "I thought you should see this; just in case you haven't already."

Edward felt a lump create in his throat when he saw the large print on the front page of the Seattle Times.

_Kidnapped Girl, Isabella Swan, Returns Home._

Edward looked away from the paper and tried to take in a deep breath, but it hurt. It hurt deep in his chest and he ached, he ached miserably. He had been for days. Alice watched her brother in fascination, but she wasn't pleased. She grabbed the paper again and shoved it in his face.

"You need to read this. You wanted her home, now she is. Read it. And look at what you have done." Alice growled, forcing the newspaper into his hands. Edward blinked down at her and finally built up the courage to read – of course it couldn't be that bad, but he had been wrong before.

_This time a year ago, the only thing Isabella Swan was worrying about was her junior year final exams back in Phoenix. Now, she has much more on her plate. It was only a little over two months ago that Isabella, 22, was abducted from her truck during a rainstorm in the middle of a road in Forks, Washington where she had been visiting her father, Charles Swan._

_In the past two months the kidnappers, otherwise known as the largely popular crime gang named the Volturi, had held the young Bella Swan captive in a place that is still unknown. Sending cryptic messages to Bella's parents, the Volturi demanded a price in return of the young girl. They managed to squeeze nearly a million dollars out of Phil Dwyer, the stepfather of Bella. _

_But our camera team had soon found out from a source close to the Dwyer family, that after the Volturi received the money, Isabella Swan had escaped from their grasp. The details on this certain subject is very tight lipped and it seems that no one knows where Isabella had been in the last month she had been missing. _

_Today, a swarm of reporters covered the entrance of the hospital, trying to get a few glimpses at the young girl. The reporters who stayed for a little while longer were treated with Miss. Swan and her mother, Renee Dwyer and father, Charles Swan walking to a tinted car surrounded by a hoard of bodyguards. _

"_The parents of Isabella Swan address to the community that they are beyond elated that she is back with them safe and sound" The Chief Police of Seattle, Donald Ray, explained, "It is to our knowledge that nothing is physically wrong with Miss Swan and she is in perfect health." _

_Though, in the few glimpses reporters were gifted with of the young girl, she seems to be everything but perfect._

"_It is normal in a case such as this for a young woman or man to cave into themselves," Specialist Dr. Cindy Loffbird explains, "When someone is abducted from their home and taken away and put in only God knows where, their mind switches from sensitive to hypersensitive. It is very possible that Bella is still in that state of mind. She may feel like she is still in some kind of danger and it may take a long while for her to come back to reality and to come to terms of what happened." _

_It is known that Isabella Swan is returning home tomorrow back in Phoenix with her mother and stepfather. Her plans for her future is still undecided as it has been heard that she may return back to College to finish her senior year. But as for now, Isabella Swan had gotten lucky. For not many of these situations end up with such a happy ending._

By this time, Edward was sitting on his couch, his hand against his chin as he read the last line of the article and the deep ache was now prominent more than ever. The picture above the article was still unlooked at as he tried to avoid it as much as possible. He wasn't so sure if he wanted to see the picture of her – but he knew Alice wouldn't let him not see it. So in that small second, Edward took in a painful breath and looked above the article only to see a photo of a large crowd, men in black suits surrounding three other people. One was a man, the other a woman, and the other a familiar face that made Edward's heart beat painfully.

She looked so – _lost_.

He could see the glinting of tears in her eyes that were detached and voided. Her arms were secure around her chest as her face was flushed pale – whiter than he had last seen her. She wore the same outfit he had dropped her off in, and he wondered if she found the ring, wondered what she had done with it. By the looks of it, she either hadn't found it – or she had thrown it away. The thought caused a hole in his chest.

The picture was too much. She was too much. Everything had become _too much_. Edward flipped the paper over and shoved it away as if it were on fire. He lay back against the couch and gripped his hair by the fistfuls and tried to keep his emotions intact.

"Do you see what you're doing to her?" Alice whispered, now in front of him.

"She's fine." Edward said through his teeth. He clearly wasn't just trying to persuade Alice into thinking she was alright, but to himself.

"You call _that_ fine?" Alice scoffed. "Did you not see that picture?" Alice walked to the coffee table, grabbing the newspaper and flipping it back over to the photo of Bella. "She is not fine! Are you seriously that blind?"

"What else do you want me to say, Alice?" Edward asked. "Do you want me to apologize to you?"

"I don't need your apology! Bella does! Can you even imagine what she's going through? You went about it all wrong! And I told you that when you called me! You just… You just fucking gave up!" Alice cried out watching as Edward stood, towering over her.

"I did not _give up_." He gritted. "I let her go. There's a _fucking_ difference."

Edward turned on his heels and began towards the kitchen once again, needing to find some kind of medicine to calm him down. He knew he had pills that helped calm nerves – he just didn't know if he still had them. He angrily began going through cabinets, pulling out drawers and searching every square inch he possibly could.

"There is no difference, Edward. And you know it. You gave up, because you were scared." Alice told him, causing him to stop. "You gave up, because you couldn't deal with it."

"That's not true!" Edward growled, spinning around towards his sister. "That's not fucking true! And don't you ever say that! I loved her! No, fuck that. I love her! So don't you even think about coming in here and telling me that I couldn't _deal with it_. Because it wasn't even about me! It was about her! About her living a normal life!"

"And she couldn't do that with you?" Alice piped.

"No, she can't." He said sadly. "Not when I was apart of them."

"But you aren't anymore?" She asked quietly.

"I'm working on it." Edward said plainly, his voice smooth and unfazed.

"Edward…" Alice said, raising a brow, as if she didn't trust him.

"I said I'm working on it." He told her. "But as of right now, she isn't safe with me."

"So why couldn't you just tell her that?" Alice asked.

"Don't you think I tried? I explained to her what could happen, explained to her what had to happen. And she didn't want to leave. And I didn't want her to leave. The way it went down was fucking horrible, and I know it, but there is no other way around it." Edward said, shaking his head. "Everything is fucked up." He sighed, bringing his hands up to his face and rubbing at his forehead. He turned away, his hands coming down to rest on the counter of the sink, his head lowered as if he had been defeated.

"So when you get rid of _them_, are you going to try and get her back?" Alice asked, watching as Edward's shoulders slumped.

_If only it were that easy._

"Alice… She…" Edward couldn't get the words out, it was too hard. "That picture," He began, looking back to the table where the photograph on the newspaper laid. "She fucking hates me. I can… I can just see it. She regrets everything."

"Well, I don't blame her." Alice scoffed and Edward looked up at her as if she had struck him. "What? Do you want me to lie to you? Do you want me to tell you that even in a few years down the road, when you rid of them, that everything can go back to normal?"

"No, I don't fucking think that. It will never be that again. It'll always be this. It'll be me. Just me." Edward groaned, shaking his head. "Fuck." He spat, turning and rubbing at his face.

"Look, Edward…" Alice began with a sigh. "I love you. I really do. But you can be so stubborn. And what you did… It goes against the laws of couples. It goes against everything you're _supposed_ to do." Alice went quiet and very softly, Edward could feel her hand against his back. "But I know this is for certain – that at some point in a relationship, your suppose to let something go. And if it comes back, it was meant to be."

"But if it doesn't?" Edward asked, looking over his shoulder.

"I think you already know the answer to that." She told him with a sad look on her face. "You did what you thought was best but…" Alice trailed off, glancing away, "But sometimes what's best, is possibly the worst." Alice shrugged, her face contorted into sorrow and very slowly she leaned down, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "Everything will be alright." She told him, even if she was little unsure herself, walking herself out of the apartment.

She had hit him with a truck load of emotions, making him realize that maybe what he did was the wrong way to do it. Of course, who was he kidding? It was exactly how he shouldn't have handled things. And he knew that. But he also knew that convincing her to leave on her own would have been just as hard. That's where he was stuck. But it didn't matter now if he had convinced her or not – nothing mattered. All that mattered was that Bella was home. And he was almost a hundred percent positive she hated him.

And how couldn't she? He did something that was below forgivable, and if given the chance of them meeting again – Edward wanted Bella to yell at him, to scream at him and tell him how much she hated him and how much she broke his heart. At least then he would know that the pain is real. And for the first time in a long time – Alice was wrong.

Everything wouldn't be alright.

October 10th 2010

Sunrise.

The slits of the glowing sun shone across the acres of fields, the horses that had just woken from sleep stomped their hooves, ready to roam and graze. It reached the Dwyer mansion, touching the bricks and the glistening water of the fountains. The house inside was quiet as the sun leaked through the windows as everyone lay asleep.

Everyone besides one certain sad brown eyed girl. She was lying on her back in her warm bed, her eyes dark and tired as she watched the sun make its way across her bedroom, lighting up the darkness she couldn't seem to avoid. She had slept for a few hours, but her nightmares were strong, leaving her with the inevitable choice to either deal with it or ignore it. She decided to stay awake like every other night the nightmares occurred. She watched the light of the sun while she stayed still, never moving, never faltering.

It was early, she was only running on a few hours of sleep but it was time to the start the day.

Bella threw her blankets off, heading to the shower, scrubbing her body and her hair before stepping out and drying off. She pulled on her jeans and a loose shirt, blow drying her hair only to put it up. She walked downstairs and just to humor Maggie who made breakfast for Phil and Renee, Bella picked up an apple and chewed on it before grabbing her bag and heading down to the barn.

Usually Phil's workers dealt with the horses in morning – it was what they were paid to do. But somehow Bella convinced Phil to give them other jobs as she took over theirs. And take it over is exactly what she did. She opened the barn door, flipping the lights on only to be greeted with several neighs in different stalls.

"Morning, guys." Bella said as she walked to the office of the barn, getting the key to the closets before slipping it in her jeans. The barn cats had made their way to Bella, rubbing against her legs and meowing for attention. Bella leaned down and pet all three of them before getting their food and setting it in the corner where they usually ate.

She then moved on to feeding the horses, giving each and individual one their portion of feed. While the horses ate, Bella began cleaning from the inside out. She dusted the barn office, organizing all of the papers and sweeping the floor. By the time she was finished the horses were done feeding and were all itching to get out. Bella took one individually out to the acres, the last one her very own horse who attempted to take the apple out of her hand.

"Nuh-uh." Bella laughed, pulling the half eaten apple away. "You eat this and Maggie will have my ass." She told Adara just before kissing her cheek and leading her out to the field. Once she was done with the other horses, Bella turned back – taking in a deep breath and began cleaning.

She wiped down the locks and bars of the stalls as well as the windows, dusting off the cobwebs in the corners. She swept all the dirt and grass that was tracked in through the walkway as well as cleaning all of the brushes and saddles. This was the only way Bella could keep herself busy. It lasted nearly all day, the good thing about it is that everything got dirty throughout the night forcing her to do it all again the next day.

It made her forget things – or at least keep them off her mind for the time being.

It had been two months since she returned home and nothing had been the same. Like the fact that she had completely changed from the first month to now. She was open about her emotions – she wore them on her sleeves and she didn't hide it. Everyone knew she was sad because that's how she was acting, but when her parents kept encouraging her to go to counseling, Bella decided it was better that she just kept herself together. So instead of moping around all day like she used to, she would stay in the barn to keep herself busy. And if she wasn't in the barn, she was finishing up her College school work so she could get her degree by December and could be out of Arizona by January.

She didn't know where she was going to go, but maybe that was the beauty of it.

But then things hadn't changed. Because even though Renee and Phil could see that Bella was getting a little better, inside she was on the verge of breaking. She was still haunted by the nightmares, still visited by the memories, and she still felt the gaping hole in her chest. Some things hadn't changed. And she was afraid that they would never be normal again. That no matter where she took herself in life, he would always linger with her.

"You know, you're going to wear yourself down if you keep spending time in here cleaning." A familiar voice startled Bella from the opening of the barn. She flipped around to see a smiling face and couldn't help but return it.

That was the one thing that had changed. Trevor used to be a conceited, egotistical jerk that cared about nothing but himself – but Bella had been wrong. Maybe that was the jockey side of him. Maybe that's how they all were. If they were good enough to win all the medals they had the right to be cocky. But outside of his element, when he wasn't in his uniform, he was a normal guy and one Bella had grown accustomed to, one she had found a friend in. She remembered the first time she had seen him since she had returned back in August, when she sat on the fence and he came out of his truck. He looked different when he wasn't in his jockey uniform, or trying to force her to go on a date with him. He hugged her tightly and apologized for all the times he had wronged her.

Yes, he had changed, and she liked the change in him. He was sweeter, nicer. And it surprised her.

"I think I'll be okay." Bella smiled, bringing the broom away and leaning it against the wall. Trevor came up to her, the two of them only mere inches away. Bella hadn't noticed the specks of hazel in Trevor's blue eyes, and when they were this close – she could see every trace of them. She smiled up, bringing her hands to cross over her chest as he smiled back down at her.

"You busy today?" He asked with a nod.

Bella shook her head.

"Well, neither am I. I think we should change that." He told her and Bella let out another small smile – the only sincere smiles she did when she was with him. "You want to go see a movie or something?" He asked and Bella looked up, her face a little hesitant. "Your right – too many people." He nodded and she bit at her lip.

"Sorry," She began to apologize.

"Don't be. Plus, I hate sitting in theaters anyways. My ass always falls asleep." He grimaced forcing a loud giggle to come out of Bella. She quickly brought her hand up to cover her fit of giggles. Trevor laughed and shook his head, bringing her hand down. "Don't do that. Your laugh is cute."

Bella blushed and looked away, rocking back and fourth on her heels. She didn't know why, but it was only him who could bring out the old her. Even if it were just the small parts – they were there. A year ago, someone could have told her she and Trevor would be good friends and she would have laughed in their face, but now she didn't know what she would do without him. He brought out the best in her, when all she was her worst. "We could go up to the mountains." Bella shrugged.

"Are you sure about that? It's a pretty hefty hike." Trevor challenged.

"Not when you have horses." Bella smiled and turned to walk out to the field. The horses were still grazing and Trevor walked out behind her, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Adara had come trotting up once Bella came out to view. Bella jumped to the fence, standing on the middle post to greet her horse with the treats in her back pockets. Trevor and Adara locked gazes and the horse huffed and turned away, forcing Bella to let out a loud laugh.

"I think I deserve that." Trevor said, nodding his head.

"You think?" Bella grinned, jumping from the fence. "Don't worry; I'll put you on one that doesn't hate your guts."

"Thanks." Trevor narrowed his eyes at her, but had laughter still etched on his face. Bella smiled and it sent Trevor's heart pounding, though she had no idea. He watched her as she opened the gate and coaxed one of the horses out of the fields. It was large, about the size of Adara but had a tan coat with a white mane.

"Trevor, meet Sandy. Sandy, Trevor." The horse seemed uninterested at best but Trevor just stood there, staring at the horse as if it were the Loch Ness Monster. "What's wrong?" Bella laughed. "You act like you haven't seen a horse before."

"It's just… I only… Jockey." He told her with a shrug, "And the only horse I jockey with is Adara and…" He trailed off, "I'm just not good with horses."

Bella seemed stunned for a moment, holding onto the reins as she reached behind her head and scratched at it. "Wait… Let me get this straight… You're a jockey. You're around horses twenty four seven but now you… Don't know what to do?"

"It's not that I don't know what to do, but the only riding style I know how to do is racing. The stuff you do… For fun? That's foreign for me… I don't even know how to put a saddle on…" He trailed off looking over at her only to find her biting her lip and fighting a smile. "What?"

"I'm sorry," Bella laughed, her face going red as she tried to fight it. "I'm just…" She stopped to let out a fit of giggles before controlling herself once again. "I'm kind of in awe right now, that you actually don't know how to ride a horse."

"I know how to ride a horse!" Trevor sneered, "Just not the way you do."

"And you have no idea how to put on a saddle?" She asked, eyes widening. He rubbed the back of his neck and shook his head.

"Everything was already set up for me when I got on the horse." He said.

"So how about when you were training to be a jockey? You didn't just get on and it magically happened, right? You had to learn to ride normally, right?" She asked but he only shook his head.

"Jockey runs in my blood. And when I began training, I was on a mechanical horse. Of course I've been on a horse before for fun like you do but it's been awhile. I just know jockey, and I know that seems totally ridiculous but…" He trailed off with a shrug.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to laugh. It's just… Ironic…" Bella smiled as she leaned her head against Sandy's cheek. "Well jockey or not, never too late to learn how to put a saddle on. I'll teach you how." She smiled. Trevor nodded and as the two walked side by side, one of Bella's hands holding onto the reins of the horse, Trevor became bold and reached for her free hand.

Bella froze for a moment, feeling his fingers latch onto hers and he could sense her distress. He pulled away quickly, gulping and muttering an apology as she shrugged it off and tried to get over the fact that the only thing now that was running through her mind was the last person who had actually held her hand.

As the entered awkwardly into the barn, Bella strapped the reins through the loop of the stall and began straight from the beginning.

As Bella taught Trevor as much as she could, her mind raced to different things. She had realized she wouldn't have minded if he tried to hold her hand – in the past few weeks he had shown on several occasions that he wasn't trying to coax her into a relationship with him like he used to. He was slow, helpful, calm. He was different – and the difference made her wonder what it would be like to actually be in a relationship with him. But the thoughts, as pleasant as they may have been, were foreign and hard to contemplate. There was only one person in the world she wanted to pursue a relationship, but unfortunately for her he did not want one, at least not with her. And she received that message loud and clear.

Her wounds weren't even healed yet – she was still emotionally detached, and she always would be. Up until someone could help her forget, and she wondered as she watched Trevor running the belts through the loops of the saddle, if he could be the one to help. The thought, though, was premature and Bella shook it away quickly, knowing that had their friendship grown – it wouldn't be the same. It would never be the same compared to hers and Edwards. And she hated that, she hated feeling like no one could compare to him, could make her feel just as good and important – but its how she felt and she couldn't deny it.

"Bella?" Trevor broke her out of her thoughts and Bella looked up at him. "Is this good?" He asked, gesturing to the belts. Bella looked over it quickly and then nodded.

"Yeah. It's good." She whispered.

Xx

"So beautiful, isn't it?" Trevor said as he and Bella walked to the edge of the cliff. The ride up had been interesting at best – Trevor wasn't kidding when he said he didn't know how to ride normally. He was used to whipping and yelling, but with Sandy he could only gently push her in the side and click his tongue. It was weird, but he was enjoying it. He was enjoying being on the beauty of a horse without the pressure to make it to the end – this time he could make his own time.

"Yeah." Bella agreed as she tied Adara and Sandy to a branch. Trevor walked with his hands in his pocket and Bella walked up behind them. The view was spectacular, looking over the back side of the mountains as the sun set just behind it, the shades of pink and orange bouncing off the scenery around them. The two friends sat down at the edge of the cliff, the drop far down and only to a desert.

"Don't see much of this in the city, do you?" Bella asked with a smile.

"I don't see much of it here now. I don't really get out often." Trevor shrugged, looking over to Bella who stared out to the open view.

"Hm." She only said and nodded her head. Trevor watched as she didn't look back at him, the light hitting her hair and shining the color out, her legs hanging over the edge as she picked at the semi tattered edge of her sweater.

"You alright?" Trevor asked, reaching over and stroking a piece of hair behind her ear. Bella froze but slowly nodded her head, looking over and smiling at him. "I mean in general, Bella. Not in just this moment. _Are you alright_?"

Bella thought about this for a moment and slowly withdrew a breath and shrugged, "I don't know… Maybe. I just have a lot of things going on."

"You know, if you need to talk…" He began and Bella nodded her head.

"I know. You're here." She smiled.

"You're wearing yourself out with all that cleaning." He pointed out. "You need to cut back a little."

"Well someone's got to clean." Bella shrugged, scratching at her head.

"You did have people to clean it. Then you got rid of them. You're overworking yourself. That's not good…" Trevor pointed out and Bella looked over at him, smiling sincerely at him.

"I'll be okay." She nodded with clarity, though she didn't know if that was entirely true.

"You know… We can talk about it…" Trevor shrugged, looking over to her. Bella smiled weakly, looking back to him as she shook her head.

"It's not something I can just talk about, Trevor. It's deeper than that. Thank you, though. Really. I'm lucky to have someone who cares enough." She nodded and Trevor shifted uncomfortably.

"Bella, I know we got off on the wrong foot at first – But I want you to know that I'm here for you now. This moment till the rest of time." He said and Bella nodded her head, looking out to the view. "I'll be here for you. And you alone." He reached forward and rubbed her shoulder. "And I really want you to think about that."

"I will… I am…" Bella smiled, reaching forward and grabbing his knee in a friendly gesture, "You know, you really have changed."

"For the better?" He said with a smirk.

"Way better." Bella laughed and he joined in.

"I know. I was a little twat, wasn't I?" Trevor chuckled, running his hands through his dark hair. "I was so bent up on focusing on getting a girl, that I didn't mind their feelings at all."

"What changed?" Bella asked, catching his attention as he looked at her confusingly. "I mean, why don't you do that anymore? What changed your perspective?"

Trevor thought about this for a moment and then bit down onto his tongue just before look back to her. "Honestly?" He began and Bella nodded, "You did."

"Me?" She asked; stunned.

"I realized that after you were kidnapped that I wasted too many moments of being a little prick. I should have just asked you out properly instead of trying to impress you with the things you seemingly cared so little about." He shrugged and Bella nodded, picking at her sweater again. "I told myself, if I were ever to have another chance with you, I'd do it right." The silence grew impossibly thick and Bella took in a deep breath, hating that this conversation was going down that road.

"I'm sorry, Bella. For everything I did." He said and Bella looked at him with a smile. One that did not reach her eyes.

"Don't be sorry. It's over with." Bella nodded sympathetically.

"Please tell me I didn't ruin my chance…" He pleaded, reaching forward and grabbing her hands. "I just… I just want some hope for one day, one day that this may actually be something."

Bella was beyond stunned. She didn't know what to say – or how to react. She couldn't tell him that they would be together in that way, but she couldn't crush his hopes. This was all moving too fast – he was moving too fast. As much as he tried to do it right this time around – it was all just moving faster than she could keep up with. She couldn't get her feelings there, where he wanted them to be. She wanted to tell him that maybe one day they could be together, maybe one day she would be over the man who gave her the ring she was absentmindedly rubbing that sat against the hallow of her neck – but she couldn't make promises because she couldn't bear to break them.

"Trevor…" She began.

"Wait… Don't answer… Just… Let me have this, okay? Just don't answer… Because I know what you're going to say…" He sighed. Bella nodded and looked up to him, biting at her lip.

"Just promise me that one day, you will be better. Because at the end of the day, that's what I really want." He asked her and very slowly, Bella nodded her head. She could promise him that – even if it were a lie.

At least it didn't break his heart.

After a few more moments of silences and an apology of being too forward from Trevor, the two of them watched the sunset before heading back to the house. They separated ways and Trevor promised he'd come back tomorrow where they could hang out once again, this time without all the heavy emotions. Bella smiled in response and waved him goodbye as she headed up to her room, ignoring her mother's pleas for her to come eat dinner. Bella murmured she'd get something later and shoved herself up the stairs and shutting the door behind her.

It didn't take long for her to change and then to settle into bed with the covers over her body. Her mind was racing in different directions, thoughts coming and going faster then the wind itself. Some of her family, others of Trevor, but all mainly of Edward.

She wondered what he was doing, what he was thinking – if he missed her as much as she missed him. She settled into the pillows and closed her eyes, hoping that the nightmares wouldn't plague her this night – but she knew that they would either way…

_There was a long hallway in front of her. Bella reached forward and tried to find something that could help her lead her through the darkness, but she found nothing. She continued down the hallway, crying and whimpering as she attempted to hold on to something, anything, but there was nothing to grab. Finally she had reached a door, and quickly she turned the knob and opened it – a bright light stopping her as she closed her eyes, bringing her arm over her head. _

_The light went out, leaving her in darkness once more and very slowly Bella walked into the room, it now dimmed to a glow where she could see the things around her. _

"_Hello?" Bella called out, but no one answered. Very slowly she began stepping forward, noticing that she was in a room. The walls were caved in, and she was standing in the middle, the dim light just in front of her so she could only see a few inches. _

"_Hello?" Bella called out again. "Is anywhere in here?" She said, but no one answered. Bella took a step forward, only to stop when she felt something sticky against her foot, and the taste of iron in her mouth. She looked up to the corner of the room and could see a body, a body that belong to a man she had seen before._

_A man she loved, and a man she missed dearly._

_Bella covered her mouth, her eyes widening as her lips quivered as she saw Edward's dead body in the very room she was in._

"_Edward!" She called out in sorrow, trying to step towards him but she couldn't. His body lay mangled on the floor, blood everywhere – and the green in his eyes darkened where there was no life in it at all. "Edward! Edward! Wake up! Please!"_

_She continued to scream, over and over again until she felt water trickling down her arm, her head and body hot with anger and sadness as she tried to get to him, tried to heal him, to touch him, to kiss him – one last time. Her body was caving in, her heart was pounding in pain, and she couldn't stop it. All she could do was scream and sob for her once lover who laid dead before her, never to look at her again, never to kiss her, and never to tell her how much he loved her…_

"BELLA!" A voice screamed and Bella was awoken, and she heard screams – screams that were coming from her own throat. Her mother shook her impossibly hard, watching as her eyes opened, "Isabella! Baby please! Wake up!"

"I'm up…" Bella cried out, choking as a sob racked through her chest. "I'm up! I'm up!"

"Baby your arm!" Renee cried out and the two looked to her arm, a few scratch marks deep enough to produce a large stain of blood on her white shirt. Bella cried out as Renee called for Maggie and the others to get her a warm cloth and a first aid kit. She reached forward, tucking Bella's hair behind her ear and shushing her quietly. "It's okay sweetie, its okay. We are going to get you fixed up…" She said, trying to dab away the blood with her hands.

"He's dead mom…" Bella finally cried out.

"Who's dead, baby?" Renee asked, brushing her hair back.

"Mom, he's dead." Bella cried, her head hitting her pillow as she shook her head. "I can't… I can't live without him… Please…" She cried, over and over again and Renee tried her best to hold her down, hold her to her so help her calm – but, nothing worked.

Xx

"Miss. Swan?" A short woman stuck her head out from between the door and the waiting room that Bella had been forced to sit in. The woman stepped out, her gray dress hanging just below her knees, her red painted fingernails tapping along the folders that she held in her arms. The woman adjusted her glasses which were very round that it reminded Bella of a certain young boy named Harry. "Dr. Parker will see you now." The woman told her, and Bella slowly stood up and covered her chest with her arms, slowly walking towards the door where the woman left it open, allowing her in.

Bella followed her down an empty hallway that was painted with a bland tan color, covered with the normal ferns that decorated around the paintings that hung on the walls. The door at the end of the hallway opened, and Bella was greeted with a very tall woman with long orange hair that hung on the side. She wore a black pencil skirt and a white button up blouse as a string of pearls decked around her neck.

"Isabella." The woman said in a thick British accent. Her smile was warm and kind as Bella finally reached her. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you." Dr. Parker held her hand out for Bella to grab, and for a few moments Bella was hesitant. But slowly she brought her hand out and weakly grasped, "Come on in, Sweetie." Dr. Parker said, stepping aside and letting go of Bella's hand to let her in.

Bella was slow as her mind raced in different directions. She looked around her, her arms coming up to rub her shoulders even if she wasn't cold – it was a defense mechanism and Dr. Parker caught onto this right away. Bella looked around the large room, noticing it wasn't as bland as the rooms before it. Dr. Parker had painted it a light purple, where abstract and water color paintings covered the walls as bamboo trees covered some of the corners. It was elegant and friendly at best, but Bella still had a hard time coping about that fact that she was actually here. She looked up at the shelves, seeing Dr. Parker's degree for medical school as well as a hoard of many other awards she received.

"Please, sit down." Dr. Parker said, pointing to the leather couch which broke Bella out of her trance. Dr. Parker watched as Bella slowly walked her way to the leather couch that was across from the round leather chair where Dr. Parker had slowly sat in, watching as Bella sat across from her.

It was quiet at first, and Dr. Parker just watched as Bella looked around, avoiding all kinds of contact as she sat back into the couch.

"I don't know how I can even begin to explain what an honor it is to meet you." Dr. Parker said, watching as Bella glanced back at her. "Honestly, I am in awe sitting here with you." Bella said nothing, and just sat – staring straight at her. Dr. Parker felt a moment of tension between the two of them, and very subtlety she cleared her throat and fixed her skirt. "You must have a lot to talk about, a lot on your mind..." Dr. Parker trailed off but Bella only shrugged, brushing back some piece of hair that fell from her pony tail. "No?"

Bella looked over to Dr. Parker and shrugged once again.

Dr. Parker began to notice subtle movements in Bella. She would flinch every time she spoke to her – her eyes would always look around her surroundings, taking it in and making sure it was safe. Her eyes were hallow, her lips chapped and her skin pale.

_Depression_. Dr. Parker thought. _Definitely depression_.

It was quite in the room minutes after that – no one said a word. Dr. Parker waited for Bella to start, waited for her to come around in her own time but Bella stayed silent. She kept her mouth shut and bit at her lip, looking uninterested and bored. That was when Dr. Parker realized that she would not say anything – not unless she was provoked.

"I'm not going to force anything out of you, Bella. And if you feel the need to not say anything, then so be it. But if you don't mind, I have clients that need me. And I don't have time to dilly dally with someone who can't or won't use their time wisely. I hope you understand." Dr. Parker narrowed her eyes at Bella, and Bella looked back at her in slight shock. Could she say those kinds of things to her? She was being as nice as possible, but Bella heard the threat underneath her tone. It was very clear.

"I don't…" Bella began, taking in a deep breath as she was afraid she would talk too fast. "I don't know what to talk about… I don't know what you want from me."

"And what makes you think I want something from you?" Dr. Parker asked, raising a brow. "When I spoke to your mother over the phone, I got the inkling that she is forcing this on you. I understand you're weary, and I understand that you might be afraid to open up. But you're not forced to be here. You can leave. And if you don't have anything to say, well then maybe it's best if you do go and come back on your own time and not when your mom wants you to be here." Dr. Parker finished, her finely manicured nails crossing together.

"She thinks…" Bella began, biting down on her lip. "She thinks something is wrong with me."

"Is there something wrong with you?" Dr. Parker cut right to the chase. Bella let out a frustrated sigh and brought her hands to her forehead, trying to contain every ounce of emotion that was attempting to crack through.

"I don't know… I think so… But I just don't know…" Bella grounded out between clenched teeth, feeling the slips of tears beginning to fall down her face.

Dr. Parker watched as in just these short moments the young girl falling apart. It was clear to her that this was more than just a mental state she was in, but she was forever scarred with her past. Most people are, but scars fade in time. This one, to Dr. Parker, seemed to cut deeper and she knew that it would be hard for Isabella to forget.

"I think we both know why you're here." Dr. Parker said, watching as Bella lifted her head to look at her. "Bella, what you went through is something unimaginable. I won't force this out of you." It had grown silent, and Bella had realized that somewhere in this room a clock was ticking. It was the only sound that could be heard. "I don't know how you feel about me, about this. For all I know, you could be doing this just for your mother." Bella then humorlessly chuckled and rolled her eyes giving Dr. Parker the evidence that she was right. "But maybe, if you just think about it, this could be good for you."

"How could this be good for me?" Bella snapped, her jaw tightening as her fingers dug into the arm of the couch.

"Contrast to contrary belief, talking actually helps. It's been scientifically proven." Dr. Parker said, "It helps a victim of a traumatic experience get a lot of weight off their shoulders, especially if they are speaking to someone from the outside perspective – a stranger, if you will."

"Dr. Parker…" Bella began, but was interrupted.

"Senna." She said. "Call me Senna."

Bella took in a deep breath, nodding her head as she continued, "Senna… I don't mean to impose on your knowledge of the brain, but quite frankly I know why you're here."

"And why is that, Isabella?" Senna crossed one tan leg over the other, her fingers setting on her knees as she was interested in Bella's sudden speaking skills.

"Look, Senna, whether we sit here and stare at a blank wall or I open up to you what happened in the past few months there is one reason why we are both sitting in this room." Bella began, watching as Senna rose a brow. "We are being forced to."

"Is that so?" Senna asked.

"You're forced here because of your job; I'm forced to be here because my mom has pegged me as some nutcase." Bella said and Senna snorted, quickly bringing her hand up to cover over her mouth to stop the fit of giggles. Bella ignored her. "You're paid to be here. You get something out of this, while I still have to live with everything that has happened. So let's not beat around the bush. You're here because my mom is paying you triple of what your worth. She wants me to get better, but let's face it – I won't. Either way this whole thing is useless, and anything that is said here will probably just hit the newsstands tomorrow."

Bella went silent after her tirade and settled back into the leather couch, leaving Senna to just watch – evaluate this situation. Eventually she moved back against the chair in a similar position Bella was in while she tapped her pen against the pad that lay on her lap.

"That was a very convincing speech, Miss. Swan." Senna began, adjusting her glasses at the tip of her nose and bringing it forward to rest on the bridge of it. "Tell me, everything you just said, you believe? Correct?" She asked and Bella nodded, her arms crossing over her chest as she looked away. "Well I hate to break it to you Bella, but on about half of those accusations you seemed to be pointing out are completely false.

"You see, I'm not forced here. I come and go from this place just as if you would come and go in school. No one is holding you there. You, as a citizen of these United States, are allowed to come and go as you please. You neither are being forced to sit right in front of me. The door is just to your right, Isabella. And if you feel the need to leave, then you have my blessing." Senna paused, watching as Bella looked to the door. "But before you leave, let me just say something. Your right about one thing. I am being paid to be here – but here's the thing Isabella, at least I'm here. Whether I'm being paid or not should be out of the question. I'm here for you to open up to.

"Though I'm not that vindictive to just let you pour your heart out while I sit back and listen while earning the cash in my pocket. You see, I take my job very seriously and anything you're going through, I try to put myself in your place. I may not be able to understand completely, but I try. And I'm going to try and help you as much as I can and as much as you will allow me to.

"You're a young girl who has been through a very troubling time. I in no way can imagine what you went through but I can tell you this – I am not here because I am being _paid to_." She spat. "Do you see all of those frames?" Senna pointed in the direction of the shelves, all of her doctrines and degrees as well as awards hanging up. "I didn't get those merely because I had to. I received them because I worked hard in school to get where I am today. So excuse me if you don't mind me telling you this, but you are wrong. You are so wrong, that I can't even begin to think of where to start with you. Being a psychiatrist is more than just repeating _and how do you feel about that_? It's about understanding the human mind, and trust me I understand it quite well.

"You're feeling vulnerable and scared – I get that. But this isn't about me getting the money at the end of the session. This is about me helping you. And as the looks of it, you need all the help you can get and I'm willing to be here for you. Not as a shrink, but as a friend. Isabella, what goes on in this room stays in this room. Your secrets are safe with me and I can promise you that."

The silence of the room grew thick and Bella felt a lump in her throat. She tried to swallow it down but she couldn't. All she could hear was the ticking of the clock and the pounding in her chest. She had come in here with nothing but a despondent attitude and was surprised to see her ass clearly handed to her but this woman she had met only moments ago. She gulped and realized that maybe she was being a little too harsh – and maybe, just maybe – things could get better if she just talked.

"Everything…" Bella began, stopping to take in a deep breath. "Everything I say here, it's confidential? You won't repeat a word?"

"Unless you or someone else is in some form of danger, then yes. Every word spoken in here is confined between the two of us." Senna nodded and Bella repeated the motion as her hand ran over her chest. Senna tilted her head, watching as Bella adjusted herself on the couch, her arms resting on her legs as her hands folded together. She looked tranquil, like she had just gone still. Senna stayed silent, waiting on Bella to continue her thoughts.

Bella looked up to Senna, leaning back as her eyes were filled with emotions that Senna couldn't pinpoint – at least not yet.

"I fell in love." Bella said simply, her mouth slowly closing after the words were spoken.

Senna moved slightly in her seat, a bit confused at Bella's words. She pushed her pad and pen to the side and brought her hand to her chin.

"You fell in love?" She asked and Bella nodded in response. "Before you're kidnapping?" She asked, but Bella shook her head. "After?" She continued and Bella stayed still, staring at the ground. The puzzles started to fall together for Senna and she sat upright, taking in a deep breath. "During." She said simply. Bella looked from the ground and up to the woman who didn't judge her – but merely wanted to find out the truth.

And with that one simple word Bella slowly nodded her head, ready for everything that was going to come tumbling down after this.

* * *

**Author's Note;**

**Wow, that was a long way. May I point out that I didn't expect this chapter to take as long as it did? I was planning to write over vacation, but I never got to it! I guess I was having a little too much fun. **

**So what do you guys think? How about Trevor? He's changed – honestly. He'd be a good guy for her, right? Just kidding… But he really has changed, but I think we all know who Bella's heart really belongs to.**

**I loved writing Senna. I didn't want to write her as a stereotypical shrink. I wanted her to be filled with emotion and care about her clients. And her sarcastic tone just makes it even more fun to write haha. **

**So tell me what you guys think, and as always I will send you a sneak peak to the next chapter!**

**Give me one more chapter, and then you guys will get what I know your all waiting for.**

**Alright, thanks again for reading.**

**And thanks to my beta Lauren for everything!**

**xoxo**

**- s**


	25. Chapter 24

_x_

**Chapter 24**

_November 15__th__ 2010_

"I'm really worried about you, Edward." The soft voice of his mother spoke over the speaker as Edward's eyes gazed out of the window – looking out to his new surroundings. "I feel like we never talk anymore. It really unnerves me."

"I've just been really busy." He answered simply, running his hands over his face. "When I settle into my new place, I'll call you more." Edward said, but he knew she wouldn't believe him. Hell, he didn't even believe himself.

"You are coming home though, for Thanksgiving, right?" Esme asked, her voice trailing off, her hope coiling together as she waited for his answer. Edward went quiet over the line, and Esme could only here shifting – as if he were moving to side to side. "It would make your father and I very happy to see you."

"Yeah, I know." Edward began, "I just… I'm really fucking busy, mom."

"Edward." Esme accused. "We haven't seen you in months. Thanksgiving is the only time we can really come together – and I mean all of us. Every single one of us. Rosalie and Emmett are coming, their kids – Alice will be there. We all just want to spend time with you."

"Yeah, I know." He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. He really didn't want to go. He didn't want to face his family, most of all he didn't want to face Alice when she knew why he was such a wreck now. He didn't seem to have a choice. He was avoiding his family like he did every year, but he knew he couldn't avoid them any longer. He knew if he didn't go, he would lose all the connection to them and he didn't want that. He wanted to maintain some kind of relationships with them. Some kind of relationship with someone.

"I'll be there." He finally said with an exhale.

"Really?" Esme's voice went up an octave.

"Yeah. Count me in." He let out a breath of air as Esme began squealing like a little school girl. They talked for a few more minutes, about preparation and if he needed to bring anything. Esme assured him that he would be just fine coming empty handed. They didn't care if he only visited for an hour – as long as he was there with them. After a few moments, they said their goodbyes and Edward went back to unpacking.

He stopped before opening another box, looking around him and at his new apartment. It wasn't that bad. About the same size of his other one – but this time he didn't get the view of Lake Union. Instead it was on the south side of town – the most dangerous. It was the last unexpected place the Volturi could find him. Though, he figured the way he left put him and Aro on good terms.

Edward explained to Aro how the last brush with the police had scared him. He told him he appreciated them and enjoyed doing what they did – but he couldn't be here anymore. He made up the lie of how he and his family were becoming closer, and he did not want them to find out. Aro understood – or at least Edward thought he understood. Aro was a business man, and if someone wanted out for a reason, then he would let them go. Though, Edward knew someone had to be watching him. Aro wouldn't just let him go knowing Edward had the knowledge of them in his brain. He knew someone tried to follow him – but he was sure he shook them off.

Now he had to tackle finding a job. He didn't have much in the way of talents. He drew a bit and knew how to work a tattoo gun, but he felt like he didn't want to go back down that road again. He read through newspapers in the help wanted ads, crossing and circling numerous of jobs. Some that were dangerous but paid well and others that were easy but had shitty pay. He would have to find something.

Edward began unpacking the boxes, setting them to the side and putting them in exact order.

Later that same night he was nearly done unpacking, his books placed on his shelves, his silverware stacked correctly, his bedroom precisely put together just like he wanted it. He was distracting himself – and he knew it. He had OCD, but he never was this bad. He didn't overlook things multiple times and always instead made sure it was right the first time. He was wasting time, trying to keep his emotions and thoughts at bay so they wouldn't shroud him like they did every single day.

He was hoping they would be gone – but he knew they wouldn't be. They would always be there. They would hang around him like the thick air he breathed, never leaving – always right next to him. Always reminding him.

He didn't stop. He kept all those thoughts, all those feelings, all those emotions pent up inside of him until there was nothing left for him to do. Everything was unpacked, everything was cleaned – he could have gone and looked for a job if it weren't nearing three o'clock in the morning.

And in that moment he realized that everything was done, the gates of hell flooded open and_ she _invaded his thoughts. He remembered her voice, her smell, her beauty when she was only wearing one of his shirts. He remembered how it felt to be near her, on top of her, inside of her. He remembered every single detail. He even remembered the last time he saw her and what she may have been thinking when she woke up without him.

Edward quickly growled, bringing up his hands and rubbing his face angrily. Suddenly he reached for his laptop, his quick reaction causing Russell to jump from his spot on the floor. Edward opened his computer and began searching for jobs in Seattle close to his home. It kept him preoccupied from his thoughts for the time being – that was until he hit the news section of the Google page.

_Has Seattle Kidnapped Victim Found Love? _

Edward's eyes zoomed in on the title and reluctantly clicked on the page which had loaded in seconds, a picture popping up on the screen of a farm – a large farm. And in the center of the picture was a man holding onto a woman. A woman with a familiar face and warm brown eyes. The man was a little shorter than Edward with blonde shaggy hair, his grip entirely too intimate for Edward's liking.

_It has been nearly three months since Isabella Swan has returned home from Seattle, Washington where she was the victim of a two month kidnapping. Isabella was held hostage at her own will as her kidnappers demanded money from her stepfather, well known Oil Tycoon, Phil Dwyer. _

_Now, back in Phoenix with Dwyer and her mother, Isabella has seemed to find peace within her home once again. Returning back to the University of Phoenix, she finished a small amount of credits and earned her degree in literature. She, for the most part, has stayed out of the limelight – up until recently. A photographer had caught Isabella in a romantic embrace with Trevor Hemmingsworth – the jockey of Isabella's racing horse, Adara. _

_The two seemed to have an on and off relationship, when back in May a picture spread of a very satisfied Hemmingsworth kissing Miss. Swan on her cheek just after his first place win at the Turf Paradise Race. _

_It is unknown if a romantic relationship is actually shared between the two, or if this is just a casual fling. One thing is for sure though, we are __**definitely **__rooting for them._

Edward slammed his fist down onto his keyboard, different letters flinging off the computer and onto the floor until he had finally shoved the whole thing to the ground, scaring Russell right from his comfortable spot once again. He knew he shouldn't have opened the link – he knew he should have just let it be like he did everything else that had to do with her, but this he couldn't.

The pain – it was unbearable. He felt a gaping hole in his chest, his heart beating frantically as the blood ran like rockets through his veins. He hated this. He hated knowing that she could be in someone else's bed, rather than his own. Knowing that someone else was kissing her, holding her, making love to her. It drove him crazy with anger and he wanted to punch something. He wanted to destroy everything he put up in his new home.

It was a new emotion he was experiencing, but he knew exactly what it was.

He was_ jealous_.

But not only was he jealous, but he was heartbroken. He never expected for her to stay single for the rest of her life. In fact, he hoped she would find someone to love her, to take care of her, to give her a home and a family and do everything he couldn't do. He knew it would be painful to think about, but he didn't expect this.

He didn't know who this Trevor character was, but he knew he was all wrong for Bella. She deserved better than some kid who had the money in his pocket. She hated those kinds of people – that's why she and him were so good with each other. And not only that, but she deserved someone that could make her laugh, someone who could make her smile and make her happy. This Trevor could possibly be doing all those things, but he didn't want Trevor to be doing that.

That was Edward's job.

A job he had quit and given up. One he had carelessly took for granted, and one he knew he wasn't going to get back. Once he had calmed down he sat back down onto the couch, rubbing his face over and over again.

"Fuck." He spat, trying to pull himself together.

Russell lay back down in his spot after investigating the crime scene of the laptop that was gone beyond repair. Edward didn't seem to care though. All he cared about was that stupid article, something he should just let roll of his shoulder. But he couldn't. He wouldn't get used to this.

He didn't think he ever would.

Xx

"Do you have everything?" Renee asked, standing in the doorway of Bella's room as she shoved things into her suitcase.

"I think that…." She paused, tucking in a piece of clothing that was hanging out of her suitcase, shoving it right back in before zipping it up, "…is the last of it." She patted her suitcase and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. Renee raised a brow, letting out a deep breath and tried to do her breathing exercises. It was a ritual now when Bella would step out of the house – something she always worried about ever since the kidnapping.

"Mom…" Bella looked at her pointedly. "I'm going to be okay."

"Of course you are. Garrett will take good care of you." Renee said, more for herself than for Bella. Bella rolled her eyes and grabbed her jacket that hung around the post of her bed. "Do not roll your eyes at me Isabella. He _is_ going with you. No exceptions."

"I'm not a baby." Bella muttered, but Renee heard.

"No, you're not. But you're going back to a place where you were kidnapped. I am not taking any chances again. You will have Garrett with you at all times when you are out of your father's house." Renee said, "After awhile it'll be like he's not even there."

"Doubt that." Bella rolled her eyes, but then smiled. "I'll be okay mom. I promise. I'll take Garrett and everything will be okay."

Renee nodded her head and Bella continued her small packing, feeling a bit nervous with every step she took towards leaving. A month or so ago, Charlie had called Bella and invited her to spend Thanksgiving with him. He said it with less enthusiasm, knowing that she may never want to go back to Washington again due to her last visit, but to his surprise she had immediately answered with a yes. Charlie was beyond elated and he told her he was going to make sure nothing happened to her. Bella knew nothing would, due to the fact that her mother is sending Garrett with her.

She understood her worry, but what were the chances she would get kidnapped twice? Bella bit her tongue and pulled her suitcase over her shoulder and walked with her mother down the stairs. Her mother went through the list of everything, her airplane details, the car ride to Forks, and her whole stay there. Bella listened with one ear only as she itched to get to the front door.

"Oh, you're leaving already?" A voice said, and Renee and Bella turned to see Phil standing next to a familiar blue eyed boy whose eyes casted down, forcing a lump in Bella's throat. "Well, you be safe. Okay? Do not get into any trouble up there."

"I won't." Bella smiled, hugging Phil tightly.

"Bella," Garrett said, "The car is ready."

"Okay." Bella said, looking to Trevor who avoided eye contact with her. Bella looked back to Renee and Phil who watched the two intensely. Bella then widened her eyes, gesturing towards the door.

"Oh!" Both of them said and quickly scurried out of the room, leaving Bella and Trevor to themselves. The air was thick with a feeling that they couldn't quite put their finger on. Anger? Sadness? Guilt? Bella felt it all as Trevor awkwardly moved from foot to foot.

"Trevor… I don't want to leave knowing you're mad at me…" Bella said, biting down at her lip as she played with her nails.

"I'm not mad at you Bella." Trevor looked up at her with saddened eyes and Bella felt a pit in her stomach, something she didn't want to feel. "I guess my ego is a bit wounded."

"You understand why I can't…" She trailed off and Trevor nodded. "I'm just not ready. And I never wanted to hurt your feelings – ever."

"I know." He nodded solemnly. "Guess I just got my hopes up." He smiled and shrugged. Bella felt her heart break a little bit – remembering just last week when she made him like this, when she crushed her best friend's heart.

"_Want some?" Trevor asked, reaching out and holding a baby carrot in his hand. Bella took it and instantly gave it to Adara who took with happily, forcing Trevor to laugh. Adara then proceeded to jump around the open area as Trevor and Bella remained seated on the gates. _

"_How does it feel to be a college graduate?" Trevor asked, his elbow pressing against her arm. Bella smiled and then shrugged, biting at her lip as she played with the strings that stuck out of the holes of her jeans. _

"_I don't know. I think… I don't feel as satisfied as I would if I walked across the stage, you know?" Bella said, looking off to the distance. _

"_You can't help that you were…" Trevor trailed off and nodded. "You worked just as hard as everyone else… You just had a minor set back." He shrugged, looking over to Bella. "You did a great job, and you know it. Just because you couldn't walk across a stage doesn't mean you did any less than anyone else." Bella looked over at Trevor and smiled, reaching over and grabbing his hand. Trevor froze instantly, but then relaxed – he liked the feeling of her hand in his. It made him feel – happy. _

"_Looks like a storm is coming." Bella said, her head gesturing to the mountains where a storm was rapidly approaching. "We should probably get the horses in." Bella thought out loud as the horses began to become antsy. They watched as Rocket and Tiger nipped at each other, trying to get closer to the gate. Bella and Trevor laughed and finally began sliding off the gate. _

_As Bella tried to find the middle post to set her foot on, she lost it and very suddenly she began to fall. Trevor was quick to react, grabbing her shoulder and landing before she did, helping her steady her fall. But even with Trevor helping, Bella landed on her knees. _

_Trevor tried to contain his laugh, but it fell from his lips anyways._

"_Shut up!" Bella laughed, grabbing onto his arm and lifting herself up. _

"_I'm sorry, I'm sorry! You just… You're so uncoordinated!" Trevor laughed, grabbing her shoulder gently and helping her up. His hands then fell to her waist and all traces of laughing was gone. Bella felt his strong hands on her, her heart beginning to race. They were getting impossibly close. _

_That was up until someone screamed Bella's name. _

"_Isabella!" A reporter from across the fence screamed out, forcing the two to look over at him. "Whose your boyfriend?" _

"_Damn, fucking paparazzi." Trevor growled as Bella rolled her eyes, watching as the man continued to take pictures. The storm had gotten dangerously close to them, and very suddenly a crack of thunder forced everyone to jump, even the cameraman who fell to the ground, dropping his camera. Bella and Trevor laughed loudly, up until the rain began falling down on top of them._

_They both gasped and began running towards the many horses who wanted inside the barn. They had a challenge at their hands and each split up the horses, running to the barn and putting them in their stalls. At the very last horse, the two of them were soaked with rain and still laughing at the man who had fallen to the ground._

"_Did you see him?" Trevor laughed, Bella nodding and holding her chest as she tried to calm down. "What a fucking idiot!" He laughed shaking his head as the water splattered all over Bella. Bella laughed loudly, wiping her face as she pressed her back against Adara's stalls, brushing away the tears that produced from laughing so hard._

_Very suddenly though, Bella saw a hand against the stall right next to her face, and she looked up to see Trevor – all traces of laughing gone once again, and his body getting closers to hers. Bella gulped, biting at her lip as his free hand came up and tucked underneath her hair on the back of her neck. His blue eyes traveled up her face and down to her body, in not a manly way but in a way where she knew he was very attracted to her. _

"_You are so beautiful." He said and Bella blushed with a smile, looking down and away from him. "Really. You are." He whispered and Bella looked back up at him, watching as his face drew closer._

"_Trevor…" Bella began._

"_Shh…" He said quietly and very slowly Bella closed her eyes, feeling his lips upon hers. As the rain pelted against the roof, and the thunder boomed around them Bella had noticed that this kiss, that his kiss had felt nice. He was gentle with her, holding her like a baby. But as the kiss progressed, she seemed to find out that it was completely different than what she was used to. These lips weren't the ones she wanted, and very sadly she pulled away from Trevor, trying to break the kiss as her hands went to his chest._

"_What?" He asked suddenly, his forehead setting against hers, "What's wrong?" _

"_Trevor…" Bella began as she bit her lip, "I… I can't." _

"_What do you mean?" He raised a brow, pulling just slightly away from her. _

_Bella bit at her lip and shook her head, clutching her wet shirt as she looked up at him with sad eyes. "I… Can't." _

"_You can't?" He asked. _

"_You're a good friend…" She began and watched as his head dropped, her heart lumping into her throat as she felt his pain – felt him saddened by the rejection. "It's really not you… You're such a good person, and any girl would be so lucky to have you. Honestly… I'm just… It's just… We just wouldn't work." _

"_I think we would Bella. I think we would be great together. If you just let me show you. Let me take care of you, and show you how good we are together. Let me kiss you and hold you and love you. I want to be here for you. I want to be with you." He set his hand against her cheek and Bella closed her eyes, only seeing a green eyed man staring back at her, and very sadly she began to weep, wishing that she was with him right now _

"_Trevor… I can't." She opened her eyes, revealing the tears in her eyes. "I'm… I just can't. I'm sorry." _

After their talk Bella apologize one last time before the two went their separate ways. Trevor made some excuse of how he needed to get home and go into town, but Bella knew he was embarrassed. She had felt horrible, but she couldn't get in a relationship with him. It wasn't fair for Trevor who sincerely wanted to be together with her. Only half the weight would be lifted.

After Trevor had left that night, this was the first time since a week she had seen him. He avoided her as much as possible, and she even called him a few times asking if he wanted to come over – he never picked up. He never even called back. Bella felt hurt and scared that she had lost her good friend, but she didn't think of him that way. And what kind of relationship would that be? She only hoped that he could understand.

"We're cool, right?" Bella asked casually. Trevor looked up at her, taking in a deep breath with one slight nod. She could see the sadness in his eyes, the sparkle that died down when she rejected him – she could see it all. Past all of his exterior.

"We're cool." He replied softly.

They looked at each other for a few more seconds before she was pulled away by Garrett who claimed they were going to be late. Bella said goodbye to everyone once more, hugging her mother and promising her she would call as soon as she landed. And with one last wave Bella stepped into the care that awaited for her.

Xx

"Bella." Garrett said, opening the car door for her. Bella took in a deep breath, inhaling the Seattle air. It smelled exactly the same when she left it – but a sense of dread overwhelmed her. She slowly stepped into the car, the door shutting behind her as Garrett got into the front.

Surprisingly, no paparazzi had stopped her. She was sure some other celebrity or heiress had done something to catch their attention and Bella was all but old news. This made her relax against her seat, a small smile spread across her face as she looked out the window, awaiting her arrival to Forks.

It couldn't have been twenty minutes that they were on the road – but Bella saw something. Something that looked familiar – something that rang a bell in the back of her head. _Gypsy's Café and Pub_ blinked in red letters over the building, and very suddenly Bella felt the need to go to it – she felt the need to investigate.

"Garrett?" Bella called out.

"Yes?" He replied.

"I need to get out." Bella said as she opened the door. Her response was not what he was expecting, and Garrett quickly called out Bella's name as she jumped out of the car. Garrett shifted the car into park right in the middle of traffic and began after Bella.

"Bella!" He called out. "Bella you've got to get back in the car!"

People began honking their horns, screaming out the window. Garrett lifted his hand out at them as Bella walked towards to pub, passing people who came out. She passed the window, stopping to see a couple eating something – something that looked familiar. It was grilled chicken with potatoes and vegetables. To anyone else it was just a meal, but Bella knew that she had this before. It was Kota Reganati. Something Edward had brought her when she was locked up in the basement.

That's when it clicked – that's when everything came together.

Bella knew Edward would be in Seattle – he obviously lived here. But Seattle was a big place, and Bella was only going to be here for the airport. She didn't know where Edward exactly lived, she didn't know what part of Seattle – but now she did. She was in his part, and suddenly all the streets became familiar.

"Bella, you need to get in the car. Right now." Garrett said but Bella shook her head.

"I need to go somewhere…." Bella said as her throat went dry.

"Go somewhere? Where the hell could you go? Bella, I will carry you over my shoulder – I swear," Garrett stopped when Bella turned to look at him, her face white and pale as she bit at her lip.

"Please… I won't take long… I just… I need to go and look at something…" She told him.

"Bella I can't let you out of my sight. Your mom is paying me to protect you. Not to let you wander off." Garrett challenged as he rasied a brow. "I need you to understand that, okay? You can't just run off."

"I won't tell my mom if you won't. Plus, I am a grown adult. Legally, if I tell you to back off, you have to." Bella told him, raising her own brow. Garrett grinded his teeth and crossed his arms over his broad chest. "Please, I know where I am. You can follow me in the car, I just… I need to see something."

Garrett looked away for a moment – contemplating her offer. Finally his hard exterior cracked and he blew out a frustrated breath through his nose. "Fine." He said, "But I'm following you the whole way."

"Fine. Just keep your distance." Bella told him. Garrett went back to the car, ignoring everyone whose middle fingers were pointing in his direction and did a u-turn right on the street. Bella began walking, feeling her heart pound. She didn't know what she was doing – she didn't know why she was doing this, but all she knew is that her legs were walking into a direction and she knew exactly where they were taking her.

As she moved on, things became familiar; she recognized places like the small café that she and Alice went to when she first snuck out. She passed the open area of where they held the reggae festival and where she met Jasper and she even walked right by the park she took Russell to. She was coming up around a corner and she knew exactly where it would take her. She stopped for a moment, ignoring the people who grumbled angrily at her sudden stance and took in a deep breath.

Finally she turned the corner and saw the familiar building that was just across from Lake Union. One she had seen many times – one she had lived in for a month. One she had shared with _him_ with. She looked up the building, the rain that began to pelt down hitting the sides off it as people began running, folding up their umbrellas. Bella slowly turned around to see Garrett parking up next to a post and Bella walked to him, waiting for him to roll down the window.

"I have to go in there…" Bella said rain drops dripping off her face as Garrett gave her a pointed look. "I'll only be a few minutes."

"Why do you need to go in there?" He asked.

"I need to talk to someone in there." She told him, getting ready to walk away before he grabbed her wrist.

"Talk to who Bella? You can't just walk in there and expect me to be okay with that! I don't know who this person is; I don't know what kind of trouble you're getting yourself into!" He growled and Bella rolled her eyes, snatching her arm away as she began in the other direction.

"Bella!" He called out, finally stepping out of the car.

"I'll only be a few minutes. I swear." She said, turning back to him. "Just stay there. I'll be back." She finally turned back around, took in a deep breath, and began towards the building once again.

She didn't know exactly why she was doing this – her brain was telling her to go back and just go home to Charlie – but her heart… Her heart was screaming at her to open those doors and go up that elevator and to his door. She took in a deep breath, opening the door of the main entrance and staring blankly around the room. People ran in and out, getting mail, minding their own business as Bella slowly walked to the elevators. Her shaky finger reaching out and pressing the up button.

She waited for a few moments until the door dinged and then opened, a few people who were staring at their newspapers passing her by. She stepped into the elevator, her heart pounding and her body beginning to tremble. She turned around, looking at all the buttons before pressing the right floor, the doors slowly closing as the elevator began its journey upwards. Her head went against the wall of it, her eyes closing as she took in a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.

The door had suddenly lurched open and Bella cautiously stepped out and into the familiar hallway she had been once before. Very slowly she walked to the door – the one door where she knew everything laid behind it. She was suddenly in front of it, looking at the texture of it and the wood. She was distracting herself – she didn't know what to do.

Very slowly she lifted her knuckles up and took in a deep breath, biting at her lip as she knocked twice. She waited for a few seconds but no one had answered. She heard nothing on the other side of the door and she knocked once again. There was still no answer. She took in a deep breath as her hand touched the knob. She gripped it gently and turned it, realizing that it was unlocked.

"Hey." Someone said behind her, and Bella quickly turned to see a blonde hair man in a hoodie closing his door. "You looking for Edward?" He asked, and Bella recognized this man to be Riley, Edward's neighbor.

"Um…" Bella began, "Yeah."

"He's not there." He said and Bella narrowed her eyes at him. "He moved out a couple of weeks ago."

"Moved… _Out_?" Her voice came out in a whisper and Riley nodded, locking his door behind him. He shuffled his backpack over his shoulder and stepped in front of her.

"Yeah. Took everything and just left." He shrugged.

"Do you know where he went?" Bella asked but Riley shook his head.

"Nope. He just up and left." Riley said. "Should've come earlier." He told her as he walked into the elevator, the doors slowly closing behind him. Bella fell back against the door, closing her eyes as she bit at her lip, trying to contain her emotions – trying to keep everything intact.

_He…Moved?_

Where could of he possibly gone? Was he not in Seattle anymore? Was he gone trying to find her? Or did he just move away to get away from everything?

Bella took in a deep breath, feeling the tears threaten against her as she turned and touched the door knob with her hand once again, turning it all the way until the lock was out of the socket and the door slowly cracked open. With the tips of her fingers Bella pushed the door open, it creaking as it went and revealing the one place she thought she would never see again.

Though, it really wasn't the place she remembered.

This was different, this wasn't what she wanted – this isn't what she wanted it to be. Everything was gone. The walls were stripped down, the furniture missing and the bookshelves in the corner gone. Bella quickly brought her hands to her mouth, her eyes welling with tears as she felt overwhelmed with emotions. She bit at her lip, closing her eyes as the tears fell.

She had remembered all their times together – and now it was stripped bear. There was nothing left.

Slowly, she began walking towards the bedroom, the door slightly cracked open until her hand maneuvered itself to open. It was just as bad – if not even worse. Everything was gone. Bella let out a strangled sob, covering her mouth with the back of her hand as she knelt down, trying to keep it all in.

Everything she feared was becoming a reality.

She always hoped that Edward did this just because he was trying to protect her that he would come and find her eventually – but why would he move? This only helped to confirm her worst fears. Maybe Edward was afraid she would come back – and he didn't want her. He wanted nothing to do with her. Bella let out another sob, her head going down and resting on her knees as she took in a deep breath that was choked by her cries. She sat there for a few minutes, in the middle of the empty room that held nothing but memories she loved and missed. They were all _but_ memories now – nothing but the past that would never come alive again.

She wiped her tears and slowly sat up, walking to the window – the very one she had opened her eyes to every morning. The very one that shined the sun through and greeted her and her lover with open arms. Her head rested against the glass as she looked out to the lake as her heart kept hurting by the second.

Xx

"Bella?" Garrett said from the front seat, forcing Bella's eyes open. She blinked a few times, rubbing the sleep away as her body ached in pain from the odd position she was asleep in. "We're here."

"Okay. Thanks." She said, opening her door as she then stepped out to the rain and green scenery around her. Garrett stepped out as well, walking around her and to the trunk.

"I'll get your bags. You can go ahead and go in." He told her and Bella nodded, rubbing her shoulder as she grabbed her shoulder bag and wrapping it around her, walking to the front of the house she had grown up in. She went up the steps, holding onto the railing and finally hitting the welcome mat. She knocked a few times, waiting for the door to open.

The door flung open and Bella was faced with her father once again – the first time in months. Bella smiled sweetly as Charlie reflected it. Despite everything Charlie felt about her kidnapping – nothing had changed between the two. They were still father and daughter – they were still in this all together. Charlie wrapped his arms around his daughter instantly and kissed her on the top of her head.

"It's good to have you home." He told her and Bella rested her head against his chest, nodding.

"It's good to be home." She replied and the two just stood there for a few moments, holding onto each other for as long as they could.

Once they let go, Bella introduced Charlie to Garrett. Charlie didn't like the idea of a man following them and watching their house twenty four seven, but he agreed to it with Renee. If it lessened their chance of another kidnapping, Charlie would do anything.

That subject was still sore with him. Bella didn't know it – but Charlie blamed himself. He blamed himself for not being more careful, for not being there when she needed him the most. He knew she didn't blame him, but it didn't cover the guilt. It always followed him, no matter what. Not even the fact that she was sitting in front of him, unpacking her bags in her room perfectly healthy and happy could stop the guilt. He felt it all. All over him. Every single inch.

Charlie ended up leaning against the doorway of Bella's room, watching as she unpacked all of her things, allowing his emotions to settle underneath him and keep at bay. She was here with him – that's all that mattered.

"Okay," Bella began, closing one of the drawers, "All done." She smiled, turning back to him. "Look, I'm sorry about Garrett. Trust me, I wish he didn't have to come and invade your personal space." She shrugged.

"Bells, I_ know_ your mom. She is overprotective at best." He rolled his eyes. "It's okay, though. Her worry is understandable after what…happened." Charlie choked and Bella nodded her head. The room went silent, though it wasn't awkward. The two were just visited with memories that were supposed to be laid to rest. It wasn't until Garrett cleared his throat behind them that they snapped out of their heads.

"Uh, Mr. Swan? Sir? Are you ready to leave?" Garrett asked and Bella blinked a few times, looking to her father.

"Where are we going?" She asked.

"Oh, I just thought we would go out to dinner to Carver's Café." Charlie said, though his tone was questionable. "It's okay Garrett, I can drive."

"With all due respect, Mr. Swan but Mrs. Dwyer specifically asked me to drive Bella to and from any place she needs to go." Garrett said, holding his stance as he stood much taller than Charlie and little more intense looking in his all black suit.

"With all due respect, _Garrett_ – I am Bella's father. And if I want to take my daughter out to dinner, then so be it. You are in my house and _Mrs. Dwyer's_ words do not rule here." Charlie narrowed his eyes at Garrett as Bella stifled a laugh, covering her mouth. Garrett grinded his teeth together but stayed still as he nodded his head.

"So be it. But I will follow closely behind." He said and Charlie grumbled rolling his eyes as he looked back at his daughter who looked very amused.

After they figured everything out, Bella and Charlie left in the police cruiser as Garrett followed behind them. When they reached Carver's Cafe, Bella and Charlie went inside as Garrett stayed in the car, watching closely for any sorts of danger.

"I hate that your mother is making that big tree follow you around everywhere." Charlie grumbled as the two sat down at their seats. Bella couldn't help but notice that people were staring at her, people who Charlie said hello to when they first walked in. These people would stare and then whisper to each other, and Bella knew exactly what they were whispering about. She ignored them though, looking back to Charlie as she tucked her hair back.

"He isn't that bad. He respects personal space a lot," She began but Charlie interrupted her with a laugh, "You know he's only doing this because mom is paying him extra. He's just doing his job."

"Well I can do his job for free." Charlie grumbled and Bella took in a deep breath, watching as he avoided eye contact with her, staring down at his menu.

"Well hello there." A woman interrupted them, and the two looked up to a red haired woman with a giant smile. "Charlie, it's nice to see you again."

"Vicky," Charlie nodded. "This is my daughter Bella."

"Hello, Bella. It's such a pleasure to meet you." Vicky said, her smile still great but her eyes telling a sad story of compassion towards Bella. "If you need anything… _Anything_ at all, just let me know. Okay?" She said directly towards Bella. Bella slowly nodded, her face bland of no expression for if she said anything, she knew she would go off.

_I was kidnapped, I'm not an invalid_.

She blew out a deep breath and continued to smile as Vicky gave her special treatment through out the night like bringing her a new drink every five minutes, making sure she had extra dressing on the side of her salad, and even bringing her a free slice of pie. By the end of their dinner, Bella felt like slapping Vicky right across the face. She received enough special treatment back in Phoenix, she didn't need it here either.

"Sorry about her." Charlie said, gesturing to Vicky who waited on another table. "Your kidnapping was kind of big news here. I think everyone will treat you like a princess."

"I'd really appreciate it if they didn't." Bella said with a sigh, "Mom already treats me like a glass vase. I'm not that fragile." She rolled her eyes, dabbing at her pie with her fork.

"How are you holding up… You know… After…" He trailed off and Bella looked up at him and shrugged. "If you don't want to talk about it, it's okay."

"No, it's alright. I mean, I'm okay." Bella shrugged. "I'm going to therapy so I guess that's helping a lot."

"Therapy?" Charlie asked he shifted in his seat.

"Yeah. I really didn't want to at first but mom made me. I actually kind of enjoy going… It helps me get a lot of stuff off my chest, you know?" She said and Charlie nodded, taking in a deep breath as he tried to control the guilt that was beginning to over take him once again – and Bella could see this.

"Bells… If I thought for any moment that you were…" Charlie began but was quickly interrupted.

"Charlie?" A voice sprung across the café – both Bella and Charlie looked up seeing a tall, thin woman with caramel brown hair making her way to them. Bella didn't recognize her, but Charlie smiled – watching as she easily maneuvered between the chairs that were in her way and the people who were to ungrateful enough to move for such as lady. Bella stayed still, watching as Charlie stood up next to her, opening his arms for the woman who smiled brightly and jumping right into them. She looked young, but not that much younger than Charlie. They hugged for a few moments and Bella felt her teeth grind.

_Who is she? Charlie's girlfriend? _

Charlie had never mentioned a girlfriend, but why would he? If she were being perfectly honest, she would say that this woman was a little out of Charlie's league. With no offense to her father, but she watched as the two of them talked – Charlie in plaid and jeans and this woman in a designer dress with diamond earrings in. Bella watched for a little while longer, feeling awkward as she sat alone.

"What are you doing all the way in Forks?" Charlie asked.

"Well my mother lives just over in Sappoh. I was visiting her over the weekend and I decided to stop over at the plant shop across the street to get some Shasta daises, and then I saw your police car." The woman smiled brightly, her red lipstick perfectly etched on her lips. Bella watched the woman's hazel eyes travel over to the table, making vision with Bella. Her face completely morphed into shock, and then into a smile. And not a sympathetic one like most she gets now – but a sincere smile.

"Charlie… Is this… Her?" The woman asked and Charlie looked to Bella, having forgotten she was there due to their conversation. He blushed slightly, feeling guilty for not introducing his daughter to his friend.

"Yes it is. Bells…" Charlie reached for her and Bella slowly brought herself up, smiling softly back at the lady. "This is my daughter, Isabella."

"Isabella." The woman said, reaching forward for Bella's hand. Bella reached out midway and shook it, still a bit confused on who this woman is.

"Bella." She said immediately. "Just Bella."

"Bella." The woman corrected herself.

"Bella, this is Esme Cullen." Charlie began, and Bella blinked knowing that the name sounded familiar. "Her husband is Carlisle Cullen. He treated you when you were…" Charlie paused for a moment but Bella nodded, not needing for him to continue and reopen wounds that had been sewn shut. "After you went home, I had to come back to the hospital and fill out some paperwork. I ran into Esme and Dr. Cullen and we got to talking."

"Talking?" Bella asked, raising a brow and looking to Esme whose face was peppered with smiles.

"Well we knew you went back home, so we invited him over a couple of times. Turns out that your father, despite his hard exterior, is a very soft man." She said and Bella smiled, watching as Charlie turned a deep shade of red.

"Es…" Charlie began, rubbing at his forehead.

"Oh c'mon. Do not be so shy about it." Esme smiled looking to Bella as she reached for her hand once again, holding it in her own. "You're lucky to have this man for a father. He loves you very much." Bella couldn't bite back her smile, and instead she looked up at Charlie who was looking away – clearly a bit embarrassed by the situation.

"I know." Bella said with a definitive nod and Charlie looked back down at her and for just a split second the father and daughter had a moment – one where Esme had to look away. For just a second.

Charlie broke the look and turned to Esme, rubbing at his chin as he took in a deep breath. "So you headin' back to Seattle?" Charlie asked and Bella felt her body tense at the name of the town, a flash of memories threatening to rush in.

"Oh yes. I need to start decorating for Thanksgiving. The whole family is coming in." Esme said with a smile and Bella returned it – though not as brightly. "Do you guys have plans?"

"For Thanksgiving?" He asked and she nodded, "Oh well…" Charlie began, looking to Bella who looked at him – shrugging her shoulders. "We'll just do what we normally do."

"And what's that?" Esme asked, raising a brow.

"Go out, probably." Charlie shrugged both of them suddenly on alert as they heard a loud gasp. Esme brought her hands over her mouth, a look of pure shock etched on her.

"You guys _go out_ for Thanksgiving?" Esme tsked her tongue and shook her head. "Charlie, I don't think I could sit at my table on Thanksgiving knowing you two aren't enjoying a home cooked meal. I insist you come over."

"No, no, no. Esme, I – _we_, don't want to impose on your families traditions. We'll be okay. Right Bells?" Charlie asked, looking to Bella who was speechless. She nodded though, and smiled in reassurance.

"Oh, yeah. We'll be good. I'll probably end up making something." Bella shrugged and Esme shook her head once again.

"Then bring it over. Please. I'll beg you if I have to." Esme told them. "My family would love to have you."

"Really, Esme. It's okay." Charlie said with a nervous chuckle.

"Stop denying me of this. There will be no need for you two to go out and spend your money at a restaurant when I am offering you a free Thanksgiving dinner. Please – do me this favor and come for dinner. We have enough room for everyone. It'll just be Carlisle and I, our kids and grandkids – as well as Carlisle's boss and his family." She paused, realizing how many people she had just listed off. "We can make room." Esme said with a smile, her eyes pleading. Charlie looked to Bella who once again shrugged. She wasn't opposed – it sure probably beat a restaurant meal. And who were they to deny the offer?

"I mean… alright." Charlie sighed and nodded his head.

"Oh it'll be lovely. Bella, I have a daughter your age. I'm sure you two will get along." Esme smiled brightly and Bella nodded.

"Cullen!" The man at the front desk yelled out, indicating the order of food was ready.

"I have to go now, but I will call you with the details Charlie. Bella, sweetie – it was a pleasure meeting you and I can't wait to see you again. Bring whatever you like – we aren't picky eaters." She smiled and Bella took in a deep breath trying to in her fast speech.

"It was nice to meet you too." Bella got out just before Esme started backwards.

"I'll call you Charlie!" She yelled out, grabbing the bag from the front desk and heading out with a bright smile. Charlie and Bella slowly sat back down at their table – trying to recollect on how they went from a Thanksgiving dinner out to a whole home cooked free meal.

"Thanksgiving at the Cullen's." Charlie mused. "It'll be good. Better than a dinner at IHOP," Charlie smiled and Bella laughed, pushing her hair back. "They're good people. It'll be good" He repeated with a pleasant smile. Bella nodded with a smile as she looked back to her father.

"It'll be good." She agreed.

* * *

**And I think you know where I'm heading with this one, huh?**

**Sorry about the wait! I really didn't expect it to take me this long to update, I promise I will not make you wait that long for the next chapter! **  
**Also, I'm really sorry for not sending out a preview of this chapter. I completely lost track of time. One of my coworkers went off to college and my other one just had a baby so I've been getting a shit ton of hours.**

**I will send a review reply for this chapter though - and trust me, you'll probably want it.**

**Thanks to Lauren, my beta!**  
**And of course you guys for reading!**

**Until next time.**

**xoxo**  
**- s **


	26. Chapter 25

x

**Chapter 25**

_November 25__th__ 2010_

"Bella?" Charlie yelled from down the stairs, his body shifting from left to right as he fixed the buttons on his shirt. "You almost ready? We have a long drive."

Up the stairs and to the right Bella stood in her room, freshly clean with a gray knit sweater, jeans and knit boots – her hair lying down in curls on the top of her chest. But something else was freshly new – and that were her tears that silently fell from her cheeks. She took in a deep breath and stared up at the mirror in front of her.

"Bella!" Charlie yelled a bit louder. Bella jumped slightly and quickly wiped the tears from her face harshly.

"Yeah, I'm almost done!" She called back down, listening as Charlie's footsteps faded. She took in a deep breath and grabbed her jewelry box to her left, opening up to reveal her simple pearl earrings and clipping them in. She then opened the side of her jewelry box, revealing the gold ring on the chain. She picked it up, staring at the M for a few moments before unclipping the back and hanging it around her neck.

She looked up at the mirror once more; her face had gone down in redness as her eyes cleared up. She stood from her chair and grabbed her peacoat, slipping it on as she turned her lights off and headed downstairs.

Truth be told, she hadn't cried in awhile. It was the first month after returning from the hospital that she no longer cried at night. Now a few tears would escape, here and there, always reminding her that she may have moved on, but she will never forget – she will never be fully healed. Bella stepped on the last step and grabbed her bag from the hanger and set it over her shoulder.

"You ready?" Charlie asked behind her, Bella turned around, smiling as she noticed her father's attire. He wore a plain burgundy button up shirt with a black blazer over and dark jeans. They really didn't match, but that was Charlie. He was also holding the homemade pumpkin pie Bella had made earlier.

"Yeah, I'm ready." The two smiled at each other and headed into the police cruiser, the snow already falling even if it were only November. Charlie grumbled as he passed Garrett who got into the car behind the cruiser. Garrett used Renee as the reason to go, but he had agreed to stay in the car the whole time. The two hour trip to Seattle was mainly quiet. If it weren't for the very fact that it was Bella and Charlie, it could have been awkward. Silence is something they both treasured; it wasn't awkward at all but completely normal. It was nearing five o'clock in the evening when they arrived in Seattle, at the gated community area of Northsville.

Bella took in a deep breath, her hands crossed over her stomach as Charlie pulled up into the driveway of a giant gated white home with white fences and flowers around the front.

"Well, this is it." Charlie said, unbuckling his seatbelt. Bella grabbed the pie and opened her door as the two headed onto the brick pathway to the front door. It took no less than five seconds for Esme to open the door, her caramel hair blowing from the wind as her eyes lit up in excitement.

"Charlie! Bella! I'm so glad you two could make it!" She smiled brightly, hugging both of them. "What's that you got there, sweetie?"

"Oh, my Grandma's homemade Pumpkin Pie. Made it just for the occasion." Bella smiled weakly holding the pie out. Esme took it graciously, opening her free arm wide as she stepped out of the way.

"Please, come on in, get out of that cold!" She exclaimed loudly, Bella stepped in first, looking around in curiosity. The house was just as white inside as it was out, marble floor decking the bottom as crystal chandeliers hung from the ceilings. Paintings hung on the wall as great windows let the outside sun shine in. "Most of everyone is here, it's mainly some of my children who have made it late to the party." Esme rolled her eyes with a smirk. "Come along, let me introduce you to my family. Just set your coat to the side, sweetie."

Charlie and Esme walked side by side as Bella unbuttoned her coat, hanging it on the grand staircase edge as she continued to look around. Charlie and Esme laughed at something in their conversation as Bella walked slowly behind them. She knew it would be semi-awkward, knowing Charlie knew these people better than she did. Esme was a great and welcoming woman – it was just Bella's personality. She was always shy.

"Bella, sweetheart come here…" Esme chided, gently grabbing Bella by the arm as they entered into a sitting room. A very large man stood near the fireplace, poking at it with a stoker to let the logs fall over each other. A blonde hair woman sat on the chair next to the fireplace, holding an infant in her arms as she read him a book. "Emmett, stop messing with the fire, its fine!"

"Ma, it isn't getting enough sparks. You gotta spread the logs." The man said, putting the stoker back as he turned around. "Oh. Didn't know we had company." He said with a goofy grin, one that settled Bella immediately.

"Emmett, Rosalie – this is Bella. Charlie's daughter. Bella, this is Emmett, my oldest, and his wife Rosalie and their youngest, Gavin. The other one is around here somewhere…" Esme said, tapping her chin.

"Probably getting into some kind of trouble." Emmett smirked as Rosalie playfully rolled her eyes. "Nice to meet ya Bella." Emmett reached forward and held his hand out. Bella grabbed it and noticed how gentle his touch was. She smiled in return, looking down to Rosalie as well.

"You too." Bella's eyes lit up as she saw the baby staring up at her. "How old is he?"

"Seventeen months. And I have a four year old running around here somewhere…" She sighed with a happy smile and Bella returned it, smiling brightly and waving shyly at the baby who began a fit of giggles.

"You visiting back at Forks, Bella?" Emmett said and everyone went silent around them. Bella was confused for a moment until she realized that she had just met Emmett – he shouldn't have known she was visiting Forks. But he did, undoubtedly from her kidnapping. "Shit, I'm sorry…"

"No, it's okay." Bella said with a nod. "I'm visiting." She said with a smile, everyone feeling as if a weight had been lifted off their shoulders. They didn't know if she were sensitive to the subject or not. She didn't want it to be a main topic of discussion, but she understood if someone brought it up. She did not want them to walk on eggshells around her and she would only shrug it off and move on if it was brought up. There was no point in lingering and no point in hiding it.

"Rose?" A voice called out, a familiar one that forced Bella to look to the door to see a recognizable face come in, forcing Bella to hold her breath in.

"I found this little guy trying to steal Grandma's cookies." The voice said, and Bella watched as Dr. Cullen held a young boy in his arms.

"Nicholas…" Rosalie chided.

"I'm sowwie momma." Nicky lowered his head, a pout on his lips causing Bella to smirk.

"Bella." Carlisle said smoothly, reaching his hand out to her as Nicholas jumped to his father. "It's a pleasure to see you again." His voice was set straight, but Bella knew that an apology was hidden in his voice. Not for anything he did – but her situation. Bella figured she'd be getting a lot of that tonight. She couldn't stop it, so instead she only allowed her feelings to roll right off of her shoulder and take it in strides.

"Nice to see you again too Dr. Cullen." She smiled and shook his hand.

"No, no. No Dr. Cullen here. Call me Carlisle, please." He said with a grin and Bella only nodded.

"Well I must go check on the Turkey." Esme said quickly, her hands coming up as she wiped them down onto her apron she was wearing.

"Oh, do you need help?" Bella asked, turning to her. Esme smiled gently and nodded her head.

"I would love some help." Esme grabbed her arm and with that the two of them headed into the kitchen. Esme had Bella working on the cranberry sauce. Esme, to say the least, was surprised that Bella was so good in the kitchen. For such a privileged girl she certainly knew what she was doing. Bella noticed that Esme was watching her with fascination and she knew she must have been shocked that she had skills in the kitchen. One wouldn't expect it with all the maids and chefs back at home, but Bella did know a thing or two.

"Between the time mom and dad divorced and when she was with Phil she kind of bounced around jobs." Bella said with a nod, the door swinging open as Rosalie strided in. "She worked a lot of night shifts so I had to take care of myself."

"How heartbreaking. You didn't even get a proper dinner with your mother?" Esme asked, sadness swimming in her eyes.

"Well I do now. I guess it makes up for it." Bella said with a smile and a shrug. "It really didn't bother me back then. I liked the quiet." She laughed softly as Esme smirked inwardly, patting at Bella's shoulder.

"You sound like my youngest son." Esme smiled as she mashed the potatoes with the mixer. Rosalie had popped a tomato cherry into her mouth, smirking as Esme gave her a cross look.

"Speaking of which, when is he suppose to be here?" Rosalie asked.

"Oh, any moment. You know him. Always late." Esme said with a roll of her eyes and Bella smiled, continuing with mixing the cranberries. Soon after she finished with the bowl and found it hard to place it somewhere in the kitchen considering every space of counters was covered bowls and plates of food already. Bella found a place just between the stove and the microwave just before turning to see Esme reaching into the oven.

"Sweetie, can you take these yams out to the table? They are just taking up too much space here." Esme said, handing Bella her floral mittens just before setting the hot pan on top.

"Yeah, sure. Where would you like me to put them?" Bella asked, adjusting the pan in her hands. Esme waved her arms around at first, adjusting the oven where the turkey resided.

"Wherever you see fit, sweetheart. The boys will devour it no matter where you put it, I'm sure." She smirked over at Bella who reflected the smile. Bella turned and walked towards the swinging door just before turning to push it open with her, seeing that her hands were preoccupied.

"I'll just go check on mom, see how she is doing with the food. It was good to see you again Charlie!" A voice chirped from the other side of the door as Bella stepped through it. She wasn't even in the dining room for a millisecond before the voice became a face and turned towards her. It as a face she could pick out in a crowded room, one she had knew and befriended. One she had thought she would never see again.

Alice stopped just a few feet shy of Bella, her eyes just as wide and surprised as Bella's were. And very suddenly, very loudly, the pan in Bella's hand slipped from her grip and shattered across the floor, potatoes and marshmallows sticking instantly against the mahogany wood as some splattered across Bella's boots and Alice's heels.

"Bella?" Charlie asked suddenly, Carlisle coming to assistance as well. Charlie grabbed Bella by the arm gently, checking over if she had cut herself. "Are you alright? What happened?" When he shook her a few times, she blinked coming out of the shock she was in.

"Oh my goodness!" Esme gasped as the door swung open. "What happened?" Esme and Charlie evaluated the scene as Bella looked back up to Alice to who still watched her, a cloud of mist covering her eyes as her hands began to shake. Bella looked away and down at Esme who picked the glass up with the over mitts Bella had dropped along with the pans.

Bella's mouth hung open, realizing the mess she had made.

"Esme, I am…" Bella began but no words came out. The only thing that was happening was the fact that her ex-lovers sister was standing just in front of her, the last time she had seen her, everything was perfect – her and Edward were perfect. But seeing her now, seeing her like this… It made Bella's heart clench.

"Esme, I am so sorry." Bella completed her sentence and knelt down as her shaky hands began picking up the glass bare. Esme quickly stopped Bella by grabbing her wrist and forcing her to drop the glass.

"Dear, please stop. You'll get those pretty hands all cut up." She said, handing Charlie some bits of the glass.

"I can run out… I can make another… I'm so sorry… I didn't mean…" Bella was rambling, her body convulsing as tears threatened at her eyes. She had so many emotions hovering near her, that she felt like she was going to explode.

"Bella! Bella!" Esme said, grabbing her shoulders and forcing Bella to look at her as her fingers touched her chin. "Sweetheart, it's okay." Esme nodded. "I have another one in the extra oven. The boys will just have to learn how to share one this year." She smiled delicately and Bella exhaled softly, nodding her head. "I want you to go get cleaned up. Your father and I will take care of this, alright? It's okay."

"Okay." Bella whispered.

"Alice, honey? Take Bella to the bathroom and get yourself cleaned up as well." Esme nodded, looking up to Alice who still stood frozen – her hand over her mouth as she stared right at Bella. "Alice?" Esme asked, catching the attention from Carlisle.

"Alice?" Carlisle called out. Bella looked up to see her staring right into her eyes and she looked away, feeling a dry lump caught in her throat.

"Alice!" Esme barked and Alice blinked, looking over to her mother. "Did you hear what I said?" She asked but Alice only shook her head. "Take Bella to the bathroom, okay?"

"Um… Yeah." Alice nodded and gestured for Bella. Bella slowly stood from her knees and followed Alice with her head lowered and towards the bathroom. Alice shot off like a rocket, and Bella tried to stay in distance with her and when they finally reached the bathroom, Alice turned, grabbing Bella's sweater sleeve and shoved her in before shutting the door and locking it behind her.

"What are you doing here?" Alice was quick to yell, her face flushed as her short spiky black hair flew all over the place.

Bella blinked a few times, wondering why Alice was asking her that. Shouldn't it be the other way around? They were the ones who were invited.

"Esme asked us to come. What are _you_ doing here?" Bella blanched.

"What am I doing here? I live here!" She chirped and Bella's eyes only widened. "This is my family. Esme and Carlisle are my parents." She then proceeded to step out of her heels and pick them up, setting them onto the sink as she grabbed a cloth and dampened it with water, scrubbing the specks of yams off of her shoe. "I can't believe mom didn't tell me you were coming! I mean, I know she didn't know we know each other but still that's kind of information that…." Alice continued on as Bella stood motionless, her hand covering her stomach.

And then Bella felt sick – because if Esme and Carlisle were Alice's parents, then that meant…

"Alice…" Bella said softly, feeling herself lose balance. Alice didn't hear her though, and continued to scrub at her shoes as she continued to ramble. "Alice." Bella said louder and Alice stopped to look up at Bella whose eyes misted over. Bella looked down at her, still clutching her stomach as she swallowed a dry lump in her throat. She knew exactly what she was thinking. Alice sighed softly and her smile lifted, but did not reach her eyes. Bella looked at her in question and Alice's smile faltered and she nodded her head.

"Yeah." She answered her silent question.

Bella looked away and covered her mouth with the back of her hand, feeling only a few tears slip past her lids. She stood like that for a moment and then took a deep breath, inhaling all of the shock and worry as her eyes dried.

"How long? Or is he…?" She trailed off.

"No, he's not here yet. He should be any moment though." Alice told her, her voice a bit saddened. Not by the fact that they were going to see each other again, but because it was on these kinds of terms.

Bella stumbled to the closed toilet and quickly sat down on top of it, running her fingers through her hair as she tried very hard not to hyperventilate. Alice quickly dropped the cloth and knelled in front of Bella, her hands on her knees as she tried to sooth her.

"Hey, it'll be okay." She said, trying to calm her down.

"I can't believe…" Bella whispered to herself, shaking her head. Alice only nodded in response. She was still weary of the situation – it was just too ironic. How could this possibly happen? "I don't think I can go out there…" Bella said shaking her head. "I can't face him."

"You can." Alice said with a definitive nod. "And you will. Don't let him keep you hiding in the bathroom all night."

"I just… It's been so long Alice, and… I've been working hard on trying to get over him and all of it is going to crumble in one night." She cried, shaking her head.

"Bella, listen to me…" Alice began, grabbing her shoulders. "My brother is an idiot. And trust me, I've handed his ass to him a few times these past few months. But just because of this ironic twist of fate, doesn't mean you need to hide. Go out there and show him what he's missing."

"Alice… I'm not like you." Bella shook her head.

"You don't have to be! Go out there! Talk to him! Act as if nothing happened." Alice giggled. "That would confuse the hell out of him!"

But Bella only shook her head. She wasn't Alice. She couldn't go out there and act like nothing happened because Bella couldn't stock her emotions away like that. She knew the moment she saw him one of two things would happen. She could either be really pissed off – or really depressed. She hoped somewhere she could meet in the middle and she would have to deal with her emotions overworking themselves.

"Come on…" Alice said, grabbing her hand. "We'll go hang out with my mom and when the time comes… We'll think as we go."

Bella could not say a word, and instead she let Alice pick her up and lead her out the room. Alice was right. She could not hide in the bathroom forever – she didn't want Edward to think she was weak. Even if that's what she really was, she didn't want him to know that. And so Bella went to the kitchen and continued to help with Esme as Alice assisted as much as she could, not being very much of a cooker before she wondered off and paced in front of the front door.

A light flashed against her skin and she quickly ran up to the side window to see Edward stepping out of a black car. She took a step back and paced once again, trying to think of what to say.

"Listen, Edward… I know you're still really depressed and angry at yourself and that's okay because Bella is here and you can make up with her…" She whispered to herself, then shook her head. "No, no… Hey, Edward… _Funny story_… Bella is in the other room, so you might want to prepare yourself for world war three." Alice groaned at herself but suddenly heard the door knob twisting open. She stepped back to see Edward step in, shaking off the snow from his shoulders.

"Hey brother!" Alice smiled widely, opening her arms.

Edward only looked at her with a cocked eyebrow and a frown that set deep in his lips.

"How long have you been standing there for?" He asked, unbuttoning his jacket.

"Uh…" She trailed off biting her lip, "Listen Edward…" Alice began but stopped immediately, her eyes nearly falling out of her head as she saw Tanya step in behind him, grabbing him by the arm. "What the hell is she doing here?"

"Please, don't get me started on _this_." Edward set his jaw, pushing his arm away from Tanya as she only gripped him tighter.

"Hello Alice. I like your outfit, where did you get it at? America Thrift Market?" Tanya smirked as she giggled at her own joke.

"Yeah, actually, the same place you got your dignity." Alice shrugged with a smile and Tanya's smirk fell as Edward chuckled and bit the inside of his cheek. Tanya threw his arm down and huffed, stomping off and away from them. "Edward, we really need to talk before you even consider walking any further into this house…"

Edward rolled his eyes, taking in a deep breath as he held a hand up. He was in no mood to play games and was only here for Esme – he didn't need anything bringing him in a worse mood.

"Please, Alice, cut the dramatics. I'm on a short temper right now with that thing I was conned into bringing with me; I really don't need something else pissing me off." Edward told her with his arms crossed over his broad chest. "I love you, I really do, but I didn't want to come here in the first place solely for this reason. Dad can't keep his fucking work away from home and quite frankly I don't want to deal with this but I'm going to for mom. Now whatever you possibly have to tell me will most likely put me in an even shitty-er mood and nothing could make this night any worse."

And with one last final breath Edward nodded his head and passed his sister who sat stunned in her tracks as she tried to let all of his words sink into her mind. Finally she had turned around and watched him completely leave, shaking her head at herself.

She brought her hands up to her mouth and bit her knuckle, "You have no idea." Alice groaned and slapped her hand onto her forehead as she followed his trail.

This was going to be an interesting night.

Back in the kitchen, Bella sat nervously on the stool – always looking to her side to see who was walking in the door. She bit at her fingernails, leaning against the counter as Esme busied herself around Bella trying to finish the last touches on the food. The door to the kitchen swung open and Bella turned to see Charlie peeking his head round the door.

"Bella, Carlisle wants to introduce us to some people. Come on out." Charlie nodded and Bella quickly looked to Esme, in hopes she would ask Bella to stay and help. But Esme only smiled and nodded in encouragement to go. Bella turned back to her father and very slowly she nodded and slid off of her stool, walking to the door.

Bella stepped in behind her father, his figure hiding the view of the room for just a moment until he stepped to the side. Bella looked up from the ground, her eyes roaming for just a few moments – but he wasn't hard to miss. Leaning against the fire place in a white button up shirt, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, a black skinny tie to match his black pants, and that mess of auburn hair, he was easy to pick out from the room that was floating with people she didn't know. He stood with a crystal glass in his hand, speaking lowly to Emmett, a smile casting over his lips as he they spoke to each other.

It was her heart. It hurt. She hurt. Everything around her hurt. Seeing him, being near him, knowing that it was just months ago that they were together, it brought her emotional pain. All her progress, all her hard work in getting over him and getting over what they had was crumbled within seconds. Just seeing him, even if he didn't see her. She watched as he smiled and laughed and her heart hammered tightly against her ribcage.

But what was worse – what really made her hurt the most, is that she didn't want to yell at him or hurt him like the way he hurt her. He kidnapped her, held her against her will, saved her, made her believe he loved her, drugged her and sent her away – but despite all of that, despite every single voice that told her that all he ever did was lie, her heart wanted her to walk up to him, her heart wanted to tell him that she missed him and she loved him, her heart wanted her to hug him, to hold him close like the past few months didn't happen.

Her heart wanted to stop hurting.

Bella took in a deep breath and she started to walk towards him – her strides small but purposeful. It was now or never. This would be it. And maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

Maybe, Edward had a reason for what he did. Maybe they could talk it out – and maybe, just maybe there would be some kind of silver lining that would help them get through. Maybe Edward was doing this to protect her, or protect himself. Maybe this was the time spent apart he had told her they would have to endure. Maybe this was the pain she would only feel, and then after this they could be together again. Not right away, for Bella was still healing, but they could start off new.

It would be a fresh start.

It would be good.

Bella was closer, so very close – he still hadn't noticed her. She felt her heart beating, and a flash of memories over took her. Ones of them smiling and laughing, reading and talking, dancing and sleeping, ones of them laying in each others arms still reeling in from the bliss of being together. She could remember it all – she could still feel it all. She was happy then.

She could feel that happiness.

For the past three months, all she could feel was cold darkness. She could feel a black cloud hovering over her, leaving the memories to stick in a horrible way – one that reminded her that she could not have him anymore. But maybe, they weren't bad memories. Maybe they were just helping her get by, up until this moment.

They could be happy again.

Bella was a couple of feet behind him and she opened her mouth to say something. She didn't really know what to say though, because in that same moment she was going to say his name, someone – or rather, _something_ slithered its way next to Edward. Bella watched as the girl who passed Emmett made her way under Edward's arm and he willingly took her under there, smiling thinly as his arm draped around her shoulder. He leaned into her hair, whispering something in her ear and she laughed loudly, shoving her face into the crook of his neck, whispering something else.

And then very slowly, she brought her head up – the two of them looked at each other for just a moment and then the girl leaned in – her lips gently grazing his own before she pushed herself against him completely.

Bella felt sick.

She actually felt the bile rise up in her throat and threaten its way out. She gripped her stomach and very suddenly she turned away, not being able to look anymore. She began walking quickly and as Charlie said something, she just waved him off continuing out the door.

Bella stepped up onto the step from the door of the dining room to the living room just as Alice began to enter. They stumbled against each other and Bella stopped, ready to apologize only to see it was Alice.

"Bella?" Alice asked suddenly. "What's wrong?" Bella didn't say anything and instead she looked to Edward who was still oblivious to her presence, too caught up in the girl at his side. Alice followed her gaze and her eyes widened. "Bella, no, no. That's not what it…" Alice turned only to find that Bella was gone, walking right down the hallway with her arms covering her stomach. "Bella!"

Bella passed the hallway and found the grand staircase, grabbing her coat on the ledge and shoving it on as she opened the door and ran out. Garrett had immediately stepped out of the car when Bella flung out the window, the snow falling around them.

"Bella!" He called out but she only shook her head. She just wanted out. She wanted out of that house and completely away. Because if she stayed there – if she saw him any more with that girl, she would combust into a wreck of tears. She would embarrass herself, Charlie, and Edward.

She couldn't fight the tears that were already coming out though – they were inevitable. Because they were the sign of her hurting heart. Her heart, had been hurting already, but it kept hope. When her conscience told her that he sent her away because he didn't want her anymore, her heart convinced her otherwise. He couldn't have faked those past months of them together. He was too sincere. When he said he loved her, she believed him – her heart believed him.

But now her conscience was mocking her, laughing and pointing at her misery.

Bella pulled her coat closer to her as she began down the sidewalk. She didn't know where she was going, but she knew she couldn't be where her heart could not take it. Because her conscience was right all along.

He really didn't love her.

Xx

"So I heard you're moving?" Emmett asked as him and Edward stood near the fireplace. Edward nodded his head as he took a drink of his scotch.

"I'm already moved, actually. I've got a new place in the south side of Seattle." Edward nodded, taking in a deep breath. He didn't like talking much about his move, considering the reasons of why he moved in the first place. He knew he couldn't avoid the questions. Emmett just nodded in response.

"You know, if it's because the money is tight… Rose and I have a spare bedroom." Emmett shrugged, but Edward only laughed and shook his head.

"Nah, it's not money problems… It's just a change of location." Edward shrugged. "And thanks for the offer, but I think I'll pass on the diaper changes and late night fuckings of you and Rose, thank you very much."

Emmett smirked and punched Edward's shoulder.

"Edward…" A voice hissed and Edward inwardly groaned as he felt a hand to his hip. Emmett raised a brow as Tanya made her place underneath Edward's arm, bringing herself a little too close for comfort. Edward took in a deep breath, trying to mentally calm himself. Tanya was a pusher – and she was pushing Edward too far. Edward smiled and leaned into her side, his lips right next to her ear.

"The deal was to show up with you. If you want more out of me, that's going to cost extra." He said with a smile on his face and Tanya began to giggle, bringing her head into his neck as she began to whisper back.

"Don't worry; I'll make it worth your while." She hissed, bringing her head up so that she could plant one heated kiss against his lips. He didn't like it. Not one bit. She tasted of stale cigarettes and cheap cherry lipstick. But he did it for show – he did it for the money he truly needed. Emmett snickered and Edward pushed Tanya away, smiling thinly as she walked away.

"Got yourself a number on that one." Emmett said, lifting his scotch glass up. Edward nodded his head slowly and took in a deep breath. "You been dating her for long?"

"Not really." Edward said with a shrug.

"I wouldn't hold my breath with her." Emmett said honestly.

"Trust me." Edward began, "I'm not."

"Edward!" A voice called out and Edward turned to see Carlisle stepping up to him, his arm wrapped around his shoulder as a familiar man with a mustache stood next to him. "I'd like to introduce you to my new friend." Carlisle began with a smile, "Charlie, this is my youngest son Edward."

"Pleasure to meet you, Edward." Charlie said formally, holding his hand out. Edward nodded, trying to put two and two together – wondering why his brown eyes looked so familiar. Edward took his hand and began to shake it.

"Sorry, I didn't catch your last name?" Edward asked.

"Swan. Charles Swan." Charlie answered and it ripped at Edward instantly. His eyes went wide, and his hand tightened a bit. Charlie caught on this immediately, his eyes crossing and narrowing at Edward.

"Swan?" Edward asked lowly.

"Yes." Charlie answered gruffly, obviously a bit annoyed at his reaction. "Have we met before?"

"Um, no. I just… I'm sorry…" Edward let up on his grip and chuckled nervously, shoving his hands into his hair. "I thought you were someone else." Edward said, and Charlie only nodded, glancing around the room.

"My daughter is somewhere around here. I think she went to the restroom." He said with a sigh and Edward perked his head up, his hands dropped. For the first time in three months he felt – excited. He began looking around the room as well, trying to find the brown hair with the matching eyes, but there was no such luck.

"She's here." He said more to himself, though Charlie heard it.

"Yeah. Somewhere." He looked back to Edward curiously.

"Well, she'll show up. In the meantime, Charlie why don't I introduce you to my boss, Eleazar…" Charlie nodded at Edward and Carlisle escorted Charlie away and towards another group of people. Edward looked around the room once more, feeling his heart in his throat as he began out the dining room and to the kitchen before searching the living room – though she was nowhere to be found. It wasn't until he hit the hallway that he found some help.

"Alice!" Edward angrily walked up to his sister who was taking off her coat. "Where is she?" He said immediately, though Alice did not look at him.

"I don't know." She shrugged, hanging her coat up in the closet.

"Why the fuck didn't you tell me she was here?" He barked and Alice turned and narrowed her eyes at him.

"I tried! _You_ wouldn't listen to me!" Alice chirped, Edward groaned, grabbing at his hair once again.

"Where is she? Is she upstairs?" He growled, jumping up onto the first step of the staircase.

"She isn't up there." Alice said and Edward stepped down, looking at his sister in confusion. "She's gone… She left… I don't know where she went."

"What do you mean she _left_?" He hissed, Alice ignored his tone and shut the closet door. She took in a deep breath and turned towards her brother, her face placid and soft but her eyes were troubled and anxious. "Alice?"

"She saw you with Tanya, Edward." Alice said immediately and Edward stepped back, as if he had been slapped. "She saw you with her, and she thought…" She trailed off, not completing her sentence because she knew that Edward could put it together.

"She… Saw that?" Edward asked softly and Alice only nodded. He could only imagine what she was thinking when she saw him and Tanya. Hell, she probably felt exactly how he did when he found the pictures of her and the Trevor kid. And his heart broke for her. She had the wrong idea, but he couldn't even explain it to her now.

"She saw it, and she ran out. She grabbed her coat and just… _left_. I went out looking for her, but I can't find her." Alice didn't even finish before Edward began towards the door. Alice quickly called out his name, running right in front of him and blocking his exit. "Look, I know you want to go find her, but she's in a very unstable place right now. She has to come back. She has no way home except for with her dad. Just give her some time…"

"Alice it's below freezing out there and–"

"She will come back. She has no other way home. Just give her a few minutes to herself." Alice said, nodding her head. Edward sighed, his shoulders falling in defeat as he sat down on the first step of the staircase, setting his face into his hands.

"I can't believe she's here." He said more to himself.

"I know." Alice said. "Imagine my shock when I saw her cooking with Esme."

Edward perked his head, a small smile playing on his lips. "She was cooking with mom?" He asked and Alice nodded her head. When Bella was staying with Edward, he had a feeling her and Esme would get along. And his theory was correct – and that made him smile.

"Well, look – dinner will be ready soon. I'm going to go see if mom needs help." Alice said with a nod and began walking away. She stopped just shy of the door and turned back to her brother who remained seated on the steps. "Edward… Be easy on her, okay? She's still fragile. You really did a number on her."

And with that she turned and walked away, leaving Edward with a smile that faded and now replacing it with a sad frown.

Xx

Bella didn't go anywhere special. There wasn't anywhere to go in a mini-blizzard. She just walked – thankful she had her coat because if she didn't she wouldn't have known what to do. She knew, though, that she had to go back. It was inevitable. Charlie was probably already looking for her. So when she reached the park she stayed only for a while, resting against a tree that was covered from the snow.

Bella thought how Edward probably already knew. Alice most likely told him. And he was probably trying to find his way out before she arrived. Bella let out a staggered breath, it coming out in a cold mist as she shivered slightly, not even her coat keeping her warm. She knew she had to go back. And despite what may happen – she knew it had to happen. And with that thought she turned back and headed for the house.

Bella opened the door, closing it quietly behind her. She slipped off her jacket and set it on the banister like she did earlier. She wiped at her cheeks one last time and took in a deep breath, heading down the hall.

"Bella." A voice called out behind her. Bella stopped, her hand on the staircase as she closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. Very slowly she turned around, seeing Edward step down the last step and onto the floor. He was so close – so very close to her and she could feel her heart pounding as if it were right in her throat. She could feel the air crackling around her as he stepped closer. Her eyes darted down to his feet that kept moving, she quickly backed up instinctually. Edward stopped, knowing he didn't want to cross any lines.

She looked up at him, her eyes becoming glassed over as she tried to keep her composure. She watched as he stared down at her – as if she weren't here, as if she weren't real. She knew the look, because it was the same look she was giving him. As much as she should hate him, as much as she should slap him right across the face – she couldn't seem to fathom that he was actually right there. If she reached out, she could touch him. She could hold him. She could kiss him. He was so close.

And he stepped closer and this time Bella didn't move. He felt grateful for that, knowing that she could be comfortable with him. Edward's breath hitched in his throat he could smell her, his arm reaching out so that his hand went to her face. He didn't touch her – he didn't want to push her. His hand only stayed an inch away from her cheek, as if he were holding it.

And very faintly, a smile placed across his lips. Bella looked up, seeing it there and she was confused. She couldn't understand why he was smiling. Edward didn't care how stupid, he looked though. He felt something – he felt good. It was something he hadn't felt in a long time, and he was feeling it again only by being just an inch away from her. He had missed her so much.

"You're here." He whispered, looking across her features. "You've been crying." It wasn't a question and more so stating the obvious. Bella didn't say anything and only looked down to her feet, trying hard not to fall apart completely. "Please look at me." He begged her, trying to lift her head up as his finger ducked under her chin. Bella looked up willingly, the tears now forming harder as they fell against her cheeks.

"No, don't cry." He said, shaking his head, wiping away the tears. "Please don't cry, Bella. You don't need to."

"I didn't know…" She said, shaking her head.

"You didn't know what?" He asked her, his thumb catching the falls drops of tears before they landed on the ground. Bella only shook her head as she tried to look away, but Edward wasn't having it. He wanted her to look at him, he wanted to stare her right in the eyes – he had not done so in so long.

"I didn't know, I'm… I'm sorry." She cried once again but Edward only shook his head.

"Bella, what are you sorry for?" Edward asked, his hand now cupping her wet cheek. Her tears broke his heart. The way they made her deep dark eyes sparkle with sadness made him feel like complete and utter shit. He made her feel this way. And he didn't know how to make up for it. "What are you sorry for? Tell me."

"I didn't know this was your parent's house." She shook her head again as she sniffed. "I… I really didn't… I'm sorry…"

"Why are you sorry about that?" He asked, confused.

"I won't… Charlie… He knows your mom… She invited us…" She stopped to inhale deeply, shaking her head firmly, "I didn't know…"

Edward shook his head, still confused. Why was she upset about being here? Why was she sorry?

Then suddenly, everything clicked. It was like the last piece to the missing puzzle. She wasn't sorry because she was here – she was sorry because she thought he didn't want her here. She was sorry because she thought he was mad that she found him – she was sorry because she thought he hated her.

And if Edward didn't hate himself anymore than he did in that very moment, he knew he was a heartless bastard. She was crying because she thought he would be mad. She was crying because she thought he didn't want to see her.

"Bella, no. Stop." He said, grabbing a hold of her cheeks.

"I'll be gone soon… I won't… You won't see me ever again… I swear…" She nodded firmly as more tears poured over. Edward looked at her sadly and shook his head, bringing her close so that his lips could press to her forehead. And then suddenly his arm wrapped around her back and he brought her in his arms, just like he used to.

And it felt so good. For both of them.

Being in each others arms – it felt _right_.

But to say Bella was confused would be an understatement.

She wondered why he was doing this – why he was being so kind and sweet. Why was he showing so much affection when he clearly did not want to be with her? Bella could only assume that he was only being nice to her, because she was here. That he didn't know how to be so cruel to her face like he could when she was sleeping. He didn't want her. He made that very clear when she woke up in the hospital. And she would not let him lie to her – make her feel like he did actually want her. It was messing with her head, her heart – she didn't want to hurt anymore. She needed to close herself off from him.

She began pushing away, but his hold was tighter. She wanted to clutch onto him like he was to her – but she knew the consequences. Clutching on now, would mean letting go later. Later after he would sweet talk her, tell her how much he missed her, how much he loves her, and kiss her on the lips so beautifully just like he had done before. He would get her to the bedroom, because she wouldn't know any better. Because she missed him so much, she would do anything to be close with him again. And then later, he would send her off – because he would have gotten exactly what he wanted. He would go back to the blonde who he was kissing earlier and would never give her a second thought.

_No_.

She would not let him break her again. She would not let him strip apart the progress, even how little it was, she made. She will not go back to the beginning. She would be stronger than that. She would be in control of him.

"No…" She began whispering, her mind telling her to push away as her heart still told her to hold on. "Edward… Let go."

"I can't." He said and shook his head, digging his face into her neck. "I've missed you so much." He shuddered against her but Bella only ignored him – she could deal with this. She set her palms onto his chest and pushed him away, and with one unexpected thrust he went back, his eyes wide as his arms let go.

"Stop!" She yelled "Stop pretending to be sorry for me!"

"Isabella…" He looked at her confused, shaking his head as he tried to step closer. But Bella jumped back, her hand going up to stop him.

"Don't… Don't you dare call me that… Stop acting like you care!" She growled, bringing her hand down.

"What are you talking about? Of course I care." Edward shook his head – still in disbelief. Bella wasn't taking his bait though. She would work past him. She will not let herself cling on.

"If you cared… If you cared at all, even a little bit – then where were you for the past three months?" She cried, the tears of anger spilling over her cheeks. Edward only looked down – ashamed and hurt. "You left me to wake up in a hospital. Not knowing how I got there or what happened to you. So just stop with the act. Because I won't be thrown in this again." She stopped for a moment, feeling her weakness come out. She took in a deep breath and hung her head. "I can't." She whispered.

Edward watched as she stood in front of him, head low as tears dropped her cheeks and to the ground. She was so broken – because of him. And he didn't know how to fix her. He wouldn't even know where to start. He took a step closer but she only shook her head.

"Bella…Please… If you just… If you let me explain…" He began, feeling that maybe the truth is how he should start – maybe they could somehow meet in the middle.

"You don't need to explain." She told him, looking up to him as she wiped her tears. "I got your message. Loud and clear." She nodded and took a step back. "I'm only here for dinner. I really didn't know…" She stopped to shake her head. "I'll be out of your way soon."

Edward didn't even know what to say. Even when she turned around and began walking away, he couldn't think of the words. He was frozen on spot, watching as her arms crossed over her chest and headed away from him. Edward felt the gaping hole in his chest, his body reeling backwards as if he had been punched by her. He leaned against the staircase and ran his fingers through his hair, trying to figure out what had just happened.

He thought he'd never see her again.

He didn't even think of what he would do if he had ever seen her again. He thought their last night together was the end of it. Even when he knew he was clear from the Volturi, he didn't expect to go and find her. Though something deep down inside of him felt like he would try and find her, either way.

But her being here – it was so unexpected.

He remembered Alice saying something to him…

_I know this is for certain – that at some point in a relationship, your suppose to let something go. And if it comes back, it was meant to be_

Was Alice right? Was Bella showing up telling Edward that they were supposed to be together? Despite the Volturi and their threat, the two of them were supposed to be with each other? Edward wanted that – he wanted that so badly. But Bella made it clear that she didn't want anything to do with him, maybe because she felt that he didn't want to do anything with her – but never the less, she was angry. He didn't know if he could convince her that her reasoning was all wrong, that he didn't do it because he wanted her out of the way.

It would be hard trying to get her to see the truth, but she came back.

_She came back_.

Even if she didn't know it. She came back. This was the sign.

He knew what he had to do.

Xx

"Oh, Bella! There you are!" Esme smiled, holding her arms open. Alice perked her head, watching as Bella stepped in with a very fake smile. "Dinner is ready! Everyone is sitting down!"

Alice came by Bella's side, grabbing her arm and asking a silent question if she was alright. Bella only shook her head, and Alice nodded, patting her arm as she directed her out to the dining room.

"Hey Bells, where'd you run off to?" Charlie asked, popping from side as he sipped on his beer. He was completely oblivious, but that was a good thing. Bella only smiled and shrugged him off, saying something about getting some air. Charlie has his suspicions about her emotions, but he didn't want to push her if something truly was wrong. He only nodded and walked back to Carlisle who asked everyone to be seated for the dinner.

Alice tugged Bella next to her, the two sitting down from across a few people Bella had not recognized.

"Bella this is Eleazar, and his wife Carmen." Carlisle began, gesturing to the faces Bella did not recognize. Bella nodded her head in acknowledgment and murmured a soft hello to both of them. Then very suddenly the door swung open and the blonde Edward had kissed earlier made her way to the table, "And that is Tanya, their daughter."

"Hi." Tanya sneered with a fake smile as she took her seat. Bella did not say a word to her and only glared, causing a nudge in the arm by Alice.

"Edward!" Esme said loudly as Rosalie had finally pinned Nicky down in his chair. Edward stepped from foot to foot, glancing at everyone who was taking their seats. He looked to Bella who wasn't looking at him and instead staring at her silverware that sat in front of her. Across from her was Tanya who smiled widely at him, stroking the top of the empty chair beside her. He sighed under his breath and stepped down, making his way to the empty chair.

"Edward, have you met Bella yet?" Carlisle asked and Edward' jaw tightened as he glanced over to Bella who looked away. Edward only shook his head. "Bella," Carlisle said, catching Bella's attention. "This is my son, Edward Cullen." Carlisle rang out and Bella's eyes quickly narrowed.

"Edward _Cullen_?" She nearly spat as Edward's face drained of color. She let out a soft chuckle under her breath and then looked smiled thinly. "Nice to meet you." She whispered and he only nodded his head, knowing he was in even more trouble to begin with.

He pulled the chair back and slowly sat down, making eye contact with his sister who sat directly across from him. She raised a brow, her lips in a thin line as she had a look of anger to her. Edward didn't do anything but look away, causing a huff under Alice's breath. He looked over to Bella who still looked at the table, never shifting her eyes and only did when Charlie touched her shoulder to talk to her. Edward bit his inner cheek and settled back, knowing this was going to be a long night.

"I can't even begin to tell you all how happy I am to spend Thanksgiving with your families." Esme began as she stood at the end of the table, smiling at Carlisle who sat in the opposite seat. "I've always enjoyed large Thanksgivings. It always makes me feel like I'm never alone, which is good because that's exactly what this Holiday is all about. Being together, family and friends. So thank you all for coming and I look forward to the memories we will create here." Esme teared up a bit and Edward bit back a groan. She was always a bit overly emotional during the holidays.

Carlisle said a quick prayer and soon after everyone dug into the food. Bella wasn't very hungry. And she knew exactly why. While everyone dug in, she played with her food, moving it around with her fork – but she realized she was not the only one doing this. Edward wasn't eating much either. This made her feel slightly better. _Slightly_.

"Carlisle, tell me how was the new interns today?" Eleazar asked. "I handpicked them myself. Only from the best schools."

"Oh, they were actually very good. I was quite surprised." Carlisle laughed humbly and shook his head. "The youngest boy actually knew quite a lot – I'm sure he'll be my protégé." Carlisle smirked.

"Oh, dear." Esme smiled, shaking her head.

"You should have seen him though, sweetheart. It was as if he had all the experience I had. I was quite impressed." Carlisle nodded.

"He came from Princeton." Eleazar nodded. "He was the top of the class – I almost picked him last year but felt he needed some more training."

"Well, it was a very wise pick." Carlisle mused on, with a nod of his head.

"Aren't you the girl who got kidnapped?" Tanya asked, her fork pointing to Bella as everyone gasped at her bluntness. Tanya didn't seem affected by it at all, and only stayed in her current position in question. Edward nearly choked on his piece of stuffing he was eating, the only person who wasn't affected by it besides Tanya was Bella. She was a little offended that she blatantly said it in such an inappropriate place, but other than that Bella went unmoving.

"Tanya!" Carmen scolded as Charlie gave the young girl the evil eye. Alice clenched her jaw and kept herself seated – trying her hardest not to jump across the table and not slap Tanya right across her pretty little face.

"What? She looks like the girl on the news. I was just asking." Tanya shrugged and Bella watched her with calm eyes, looking over to Edward who stayed still, not moving – not faltering. His hands were clenched into fists as they sat near his plate, his jaw tight as his eyes looked heated. Bella was surprised he hadn't tried to wrangle Tanya yet from the way he was acting.

"Tanya, I don't think that's a very appropriate dinner conversation." Carlisle spoke up, his voice plain and soft. Bella looked over to him, seeing that he wasn't looking at Tanya but was staring at Edward and his odd behavior. And then suddenly he looked over to Bella, his eyebrows knitting together as his eyes narrowed at her and then down at the necklace that must had slipped out from her sweater when she moved. He looked down at the ring and then back up at her face and Bella quickly grabbed the ring, holding it in her palm as she slipped it back underneath the fabric of her shirt and looking away.

"It's okay Carlisle." Bella finally said with a nod, looking back to Tanya who bit the end of her Fork. "Yes, I was the girl who was kidnapped."

"Bella…" Charlie cleared his throat.

"No, it's okay." Bella said with a definitive nod.

"Didn't they keep you in some kind of basement?" Tanya asked, leaning back in her chair. Edward glared quickly over at Tanya who didn't even give him a second glance. Bella only nodded her head in response and continued eating.

"Why don't we talk about something else?" Rosalie chirped.

"Yes, why don't we?" Eleazar agreed.

"Rosalie, dear, how was England?" Carmen asked.

"It was wonderful. Emmett and I did so much sight seeing – I was sure my feet were going to fall off by the end of the trip." She laughed.

"That's because you wore heels the whole time!" Emmett said loudly, forcing Bella to smile. "Who wears heels when they're sight seeing?"

"Um…" Alice began, raising her hand.

"Well besides you. You're weird like that." He said and Alice only scoffed, shaking her head and digging back into her food.

"I think it's wonderful you two got some time off with each other." Carmen nodded. "I remember when Tanya was born; Eleazar and I didn't have much time to ourselves at all!" Carmen smiled, looking to her husband.

"Well, that happens with children." Carlisle mused.

"Rosalie and Emmett are lucky enough to have such great parents to watch their children willingly." Esme smiled, reaching over and touching Nicky on the cheek who giggled at the feeling. "Who could pass up watch these two beauties?"

"Well, I say it's always healthy to get away from the children every once and while." Eleazar nodded, looking to Carmen with a brow raised.

"Amen." Emmett snorted, gasping as Rosalie hit him in his ribs.

"No, really. It's been proven that if a couple takes a week off from their children at least twice a year they have more chances of keeping the family together." Carlisle said. "Though, those were only observations."

"I think it's always good to have quality time with your significant other." Esme said with a nod, looking to Charlie who was still stuffing his face. "I am certainly grateful I get the chance to spend time with Carlisle."

"Mom…" Alice began, her face twisted in disgust. "Can we not?"

"What? It is very healthy for two lovers to share their interest in wanting to be together." Esme chided with a smile.

"Mom!" Alice, Edward and Emmett said. Bella only smiled, disguising her giggles as coughs.

"So, Edward…" Eleazar began, "I see you've taken to bringing my daughter here to dinner. Are you two…?" He trailed off, causing a lump in Bella's throat. Edward quickly looked at Tanya who only smiled, reaching over and grabbing his leg.

"Daddy, we don't like to speak of our relationship so openly." Tanya said snidely, smirking as she waved her father off. Bella sat back in her chair, her arms crossed over her chest as she looked down at her plate.

"You take care of my little girl, she deserves it." Eleazar pointed his fork at Edward, who stood still, unable to speak.

_Yeah. She deserves to get her face shoved in the ground._

"Edward is a man of word. If he and your daughter are together – I'm sure he will treat her right. That is how we raised him." Carlisle began, nodding to Edward who only stared back at his father.

"Well, that may be, Carlisle – but I would like him to tell me what his intentions are with Tanya." Eleazar said, looking back to Edward.

"My intentions?" Edward balked. "Well I guess… We are… Friends…"

"Friends?" Tanya laughed, looking over to him.

"Well we really haven't defined what out relationship is yet. But I'd say right now, we would be on the lines of friends." Edward nodded quickly.

"Friends?" Tanya scoffed again.

"Friends." Edward said pointedly, looking at her.

"Friends." Eleazar said with a nod. "I didn't expect that answer. Tell me Edward, if you two were to pursue a relationship like your father and I hope you ought to do – what is your view on relationships? What matters most? Quantity or quality?"

"I think that a relationship should be built on trust. That a person should trust their companion on everything they do, and back them up because at the end of the day it is mostly the right thing." Edward said, staring straight at Bella who only shook her head. "We do stupid things – but your other should trust them that it's the right thing. So if I were to pursue a relationship with Tanya, I would want her to be honest with me – and I would be honest with her. And I would do everything I could to make her happy and make her have a fulfilling life – even if that meant doing things she didn't agree on. If I knew it would help her in the long run, I know it was the right thing to do."

"But what if it isn't the right thing?" Bella asked suddenly, everyone turning their heads to her. "What if you do something because you think is right, but it turns out to be all wrong? What if it ruins every thing you have with that person and because you're too brazen to admit that what you did was wrong, you instead expect your significant other to figure it out themselves?"

The place went silent and Bella sat with arms cross and narrowed eyes at Edward as Alice sunk in her chair, biting her lip as she shook her head.

"Here we go." She muttered under her breath.

"They should know. They should know that I wouldn't do anything to deliberately harm them." Edward said quickly.

"But how do they know that? What if the thing you did was so terrible that they didn't know what to believe? What if? Then what you did was the wrong choice. You acted on impulse and you lost." She said and Edward only shook his head.

"If I did anything on impulse, it was for the best." He clenched his teeth together. "And my other should know that I did it for the best. For me and for her, and for our relationship. She should just know. Because that's what she's suppose to do."

"Suppose to do?" Bella yelled loudly.

"Yes. She should know that I would never intentionally hurt her. That what I did was what was right. I did these things because I knew that it wasn't safe to be with me…" Edward whispered, looking right at her. Everyone at the table, besides Alice, were completely lost – and were just watching the train wreck. "I would never do anything to break her heart, but I had to do what was right in that moment. Because maybe she was being stupid and she wouldn't listen. Maybe she was in too much trouble and I couldn't afford to lose her. I do things that I feel is right. And that's that." Edward said, ending the argument – but Bella wasn't done. She was far from it.

And like a rubber band snapping – she cracked. She was so mad – she was so hurt and so angry, that she couldn't control her words. She couldn't control her emotions and her feelings and she couldn't keep it inside.

"That's_ that_? That's all you have to say when you explain how you gave up on your relationship. That's _that_? What if what you did was so wrong, so unexplainable? What if no matter what the situation was, what you did actually wasn't for the best and only made it worse? You know what you could have done? You could have sent your other in perpetual darkness. You could have broken her heart in so many ways that she doesn't even know where to start. You could have made her felt so lost and so broken that she would never find her way back. Just because you thought it was right? Just because you were too scared to deal with your own problems and handle it like an adult you just send her off because you think that's _that_? Well you know what you are? You're a coward. You're a coward for not manning up and facing the girl you supposedly love to tell her you no longer want to be with her. You are a coward! And you will always be one! So don't you dare blame your actions on an act of love! You did it because you couldn't grow a pair! Because you couldn't face her! It wasn't charitable act. It was just a piss-ass excuse of a break up!"

Bella was seething, her chest rising up and down as everyone around her was completely silent. No one said a word, and only just stared. Edward began to shake – from anger or sadness or realization – Bella didn't quite know. And suddenly her words played back and she heard them herself – realizing how bad her mistake was. She quickly brought her hands to cover her mouth as tears began to pour over her eyes. She looked at Edward who was still shaking and then to Alice who just stared at her with an open jaw. The Denali's, including Tanya, just looked at her as if she had lost her mind and Charlie was only confused as to what had gotten into his daughter. She then looked to Carlisle and then to Esme who were also taken aback by her sudden remarks.

"I'm so sorry…" She whispered, shaking her head. "I'm _so_ sorry, please… Excuse me." She pulled her chair up so fast that she had almost tripped. She didn't stop though and very quickly she ran out of the dining room and to the bathroom. She swung into the room, shutting and locking the door shut. Very quickly she brought out her phone from her pocket and through her tears she dialed Senna's number. It rang only a few times before going straight to voicemail.

_Hi, you've reached Doctor Senna Parker. I'm not available to take your call right now, but if you leave your information after the beep I will get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you. _

Bella hung up the phone before the message began to record and let it drop to the floor. She pressed her back into the door and slid down, finding that the tears were now free falling from her eyes with no control what so ever. She huddled in the corner, her legs to her chest as she wrapped her arms around them, digging her head into her knees. She really didn't want to cry – she just wanted to go home and never come back. She didn't want to face them – she didn't want to face him.

Back at the dining room everyone was still silent, trying to reel in what just happened. Alice looked over to Edward who was no longer shaking, but who was just sitting in his chair, staring down at his lap. He looked up to his sister and saw her angry face. He didn't need to be a mind reader to know what she was thinking. He already knew.

_See what you did? This is all your fault. _

Edward looked away, only to find Carlisle staring at him with a raised brow. Edward narrowed his eyes and wondered why his father was looking at him like this. He then looked away at Charlie who began to speak.

"I'm sorry Esme; I don't know what's gotten into her. She's never like this." Charlie said as he shook his head. "She's still going through a tough time and… I know she didn't mean to be so rude."

"No, no. It's quite alright, don't apologize Charlie." Esme nodded her head with a sincere smile. "Alice, dear, will you go check on her?"

"Yes, mother." Alice nodded and stood from her chair, darting off and out of the dining room. She ran passed the kitchen and into the hallway, calling out Bella's name. When there was no answer she went upstairs, opening each door to check if she were in there. She had wondered if she left again – but her coat was still hanging on the banister of the stairs. She stepped down the last one, hearing a soft cry in the bathroom across the hallway. Alice walked up to the door, pressing her ear to it as she listened.

"Bella? Please open the door." Alice said softly. "Please just let me in." It was quiet for a moment until the locks began to twist. Alice opened the door and stepped around it, seeing Bella in the corner, brushing away her tears. "Hey." She whispered, leaning down in front of her. Bella didn't reply and only continued to wipe at her tears. "That was pretty ballsy of you, I must admit. You should have seen the look on Edward's face!" Alice giggled, but Bella did not. Alice's smile turned into a frown and she shrugged. "Come on, Bella. It wasn't that bad."

"I completely made a fool out of myself, Alice. And I embarrassed myself, and Edward, and your parents as well as my dad. Just because I couldn't keep my emotions in." She cried, shaking her head.

Alice was silent for a moment and then she bit her lip and tilted her head in thought.

"If it were me… If I saw the guy I loved being rubbed on by some girl right in front of me, I probably would have taken my butter knife and slit her throat." She giggled, watching as Bella smiled. "So I have to give you props for _not_ doing _that_. Though, I'm sure the thought was tempting. Tanya is a bit of a slut."

Bella smiled weakly as she wiped her tears once again, letting out a deep breath.

"Do your parents hate me, Alice?" Bella asked, looking up at her.

"What? Of course not!" She screeched. "Bella they understand, maybe not fully, what you're going through. They don't know about you and Edward, but I think that they know you've had a pretty tough life recently. They aren't that cruel to just hate you."

"God, I'm such an idiot." Bella shook her head, hitting her palms against her knees.

"Hey, you're not an idiot. You're just filled with emotions right now, and I understand. Let's just go back out there and finish dinner. I'm sure no one will say anything." Alice said, helping her up. "You have to get back out there. You can't hide in here forever."

"Watch me." Bella barked.

"No. Stop it. I promise you no one is mad. I mean, Edward might be a little peeved but who cares about him? He should be for what he put you through!" Alice told her with a definitive nod. "Just come back out, finish dinner and we'll go straight up to my room. You won't have to see him for the rest of the night if you don't want to."

Bella thought about this for a moment. She knew she couldn't hide for the rest of the night. She would look like a coward. And she was not a coward. Not after three months of hell, she couldn't be a coward. And so with that thought she nodded her head and stood up. Alice grinned widely and the two friends headed back to the dining room.

Everyone was silently eating and when they heard the Alice's heels clicking down the hallway, everyone looked over to her seeing her arm linked with Bella's. Bella could feel them staring at her and she went completely pale.

"Bella!" Esme said, standing up and walking around the table. Bella stayed still, taking a glance at Edward who didn't look at her and avoided all kind of eye contact. She took in a deep breath, feeling Esme grab her hands and pull her down the steps in the dining room. "Are you alright, sweetheart?"

Bella nodded.

"Good. We want you to come finish dinner with us. What happened has happened, and it's over. No one is angry. Let's just have a good Thanksgiving dinner, alright?" She smiled, looking to Alice who nodded with a grin. Bella took in a deep breath and let it out, nodding her head as well as they walked back to the table.

The rest of the dinner, Bella didn't say a word only if she were spoken to. Edward stayed silent as well and never looked at Bella. To say she was disappointed would be an understatement. She pissed him off – she knew it. She didn't know why she was upset by this – he had done worse to her. Maybe it was just the fact that she blatantly embarrassed him in front of everyone, revealing all of the things he had done.

But bless both Esme and Carlisle, the two acted as if the outburst didn't even happen. They went about their dinner, speaking of plans for Christmas and how that they should all do this again. Bella only huffed under her breath in response.

After dinner and dessert, the Denali's said their goodbyes. Bella didn't miss the fact that Tanya had kissed Edward on the lips, though she noticed he didn't make a move to kiss her back. He just stood by the door, holding it open and waiting for her to leave. Carlisle took Charlie down into his office for some scotch and a cigar with Emmett and Esme took Rosalie and the kids into the kitchen. Alice and Bella made their way to Alice's room where both of them laid on her bed, staring up at the ceiling.

"I wish you and Tanya would have gotten in a fight." Alice smirked, shaking her head. Bella looked over at her and laughed.

"Why?" She asked.

"Because I know you would have won. You would have ripped those cheap hair extensions right out and it would have been over." Alice giggled, causing one to erupt from Bella. Her eyes were sore from crying, but she was in a slightly better mood now than she was an hour ago and she was grateful for that.

A knock on the door forced both Bella and Alice to sit up from the bed. Alice slid off and walked to her door, slowly opening it just a smidge so she could peak her head out. She was saying something to someone and Bella was craning her neck to see who it was. Then Alice looked back to Bella who sat, still confused. She then opened the door wide and saw that Edward was standing on the other side, his eyes looking up just to catch hers. Bella looked away and down to the satin sheets below her, trying to avoid eye contact.

"Bella?" Edward asked sternly, taking a step in. "Can we talk?"

Bella looked up at him and breathed lowly, biting onto her bottom lip. Alice moved to look at her, her eyes widening as she gestured towards her brother. Alice knew they would have to talk eventually – and there was no time like the present. Bella slid off the bed and Edward walked out, Bella shortly behind him. Bella looked back to Alice just as she stepped out the door, as if she were changing her mind and attempting to turn away. With this, Alice closed the door right on her face. Bella frowned and turned back, following Edward with her head down.

He led her down the hallway, stopping just short of the last door before twisting the knob and opening it into a room of darkness. Bella watched as he walked in and disappeared and she exhaled deeply, her fingers playing with the ends of her sweater nervously as she stepped closer, stepping into the room.

It was dark; the only light that was noticeable was the moon shining from the window. Bella stood near the door, ready to bolt if it were necessary. She could see his silhouette just next to the window, his head hanging as his hands were placed on the wall in front of him. Very slowly he turned around, and she could see his green eyes. When she could see nothing else in the darkness – she could see them. They were so bright, so deep that she almost lost her breath. The color had not changed a bit. She remembered the last time she has seen them, just before closing her eyes.

But it was his face that caught her heart in her throat. He was angry. He was so angry. His brows were furrowed, a small V between them as his lips turned down – his eyes as bright and beautiful as they were blazing and angry. His chest was broad his arms strained to his side as his fists were balled together. She knew she was in trouble,

But instead of yelling like she thought he would, he took in a deep breath. Inhaling from his nose and exhaling out his mouth - though his body didn't seem to relax. He was still on edge, and she knew eventually he would surely burst. Maybe not now – but in time.

"Why?" He asked softly, his arms shrugging as he looked at her. Bella was silent for a moment, shifting from foot to foot wondering what he meant. Why was she here? Why did she say what she did at dinner? Why _what_?

"I…" She began but was quickly interrupted.

"No, what I want to know is why did you have to take it there? I tried talking to you in the hallway, but you wouldn't speak to me. And of all places – at the dinner table? With my family no less! You decide to just rip me open and show them all of my faults and failures. God, Bella. I fucking get it okay? You're mad! I fucking get your damn message, but did you have to take it that far? Did you really have to go there?"

"I just…" She began, her voice rambling as she didn't know what to say. "I didn't mean… I wasn't thinking."

"Fucking exactly. You weren't thinking. Your father could be very well putting two and two together! It's like you fucking wrote them a map of everything that happened three months ago! You could have very well signed my ticket to prison." Edward growled, shaking his head. "Because of you I now have to clean all of this shit up. I'm sure Carlisle will be asking me about this later."

And then something snapped inside of Bella. Like a little twig that just splintered open. She was no longer ashamed of what happened, or holding her head down so he could continue to yell at her – no she was now angry. He was scolding her for one little slip up when for the past three months all she had been doing was trying to get over what he had done to her. And she would not stand in front of him and let him continue to yell at her and make her feel as if she were the one who had done something wrong.

He was wrong.

"_Clean up this shit_?" She hissed and Edward stopped pacing to look over at her. "Okay, so I slipped up. But what about the past three months, Edward? What about when I woke up in that hospital alone and scared? What about that? What about your mess that I had to clean up? Not to mention you have been lying to me as well! When exactly were you going to tell me you lied about your last name?" Bella asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I know but if you let me explain…" Edward began but was quickly cut off.

"Do you even realize what I have been doing for three months? Your little stunt made me feel like I was hit with a wrecking ball! I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep. For the longest time I would just lay in my bed all day long. I have a therapist now because of you. Because my mom thinks there is something mentally wrong with me, and I can't tell her any differently because if I do it'll be you going to jail! So don't you sit here and try to tell me you have to clean up my mess, because for the past three months I've been doing nothing but picking up the pieces you shattered!"

Her voice accelerated and she turned around, ready to head out of the door but then stopped. She turned around, Edward now seeing the tears that streamed down her cheeks. She walked up close to him, pointing an accusing finger right at his chest.

"You made me feel like I was worthless. Just because you couldn't man up and tell me it was over to my face. So screw you. Don't you even think that because of this one little slip up down at dinner it will make me forget what you did to me." She growled. "You have no idea what I went through. And you never will."

Edward just stood there, gulping hard as he watched her turn back around. She just stood still – she didn't move. He could see her shaking though and he could have sworn her heard her sniffling. He reached to touch her shoulder but she backed away. She didn't want to be touched – especially by him.

"Everyday…" Bella began with a sob, "It was a challenge for me to get out of bed." She finally turned around back to him, shaking her head. "You have no idea what you've done to me."

"Bella…" He began.

"And you can't do or say anything to change that. I'm completely damaged. Because of you. So if you want to go clean up that mess than fine. Just remember that I'll always be cleaning up _your_ mess." She shook her head and turned around, heading for the door. But suddenly she felt a hand around her wrist and very quickly she turned around and was in the arms of Edward. He held her to his chest, and surprisingly she didn't pull away.

Edward didn't know what to say – nothing was good enough. He was wrong. He knew he was wrong. What he did was wrong and he didn't even know where to begin to explain to her why he did what he did. All he could think of is that she was here now, and that's all that mattered. And holding her in his arms was the best feeling in the world. She began crying and he only held her tighter, letting her know that it was okay – that everything was going to be okay. It may not be right now, but it would be.

Bella felt her heart racing. With all the emotions that were built up inside of her – she never thought she would be back in this spot again. It felt good. He felt good. But she couldn't lose sight of what he did. Of what he did to her, and to their relationship. Even if he was holding her now like he did many months ago, it doesn't change anything. They were still in a place that wasn't good. They weren't good. And she didn't know if they ever would be again.

"This doesn't change anything." Bella sniffled as she shook her head, shoving her face into his chest.

"I know." He told her, his fingers weaving through her hair, his cheek setting down to the top of her head.

"I never thought I would see you again." Bella whispered, pulling away so she could look up at him. "I never thought…"

"I know." He repeated with a nod of his head looking down at her. "I've missed you." He whispered, his hand moving to her cheek as he gently brushed it down her soft skin. A breath staggered in his throat as he became so close to her. He dreamed of this moment. But in this dream he would lean down and place his lips against hers – but in reality he knew he could not do that. She wasn't ready for that yet. And he didn't know if she would ever be ready for that again.

"Bella!" Charlie's voice echoed down the hallway. Both of them froze and then relaxed. Bella began pulling away, but Edward had a hold on her.

"I have to go…" She said but he only shook his head.

"Meet me tomorrow…" He said with a whisper as Charlie continued calling out her name. "Downtown at the park…"

"Edward, I'll be in Forks." Bella shook her head.

"I'll give you gas money. Please." He looked at her with saddened eyes. "I need… We need to talk about what happened."

Bella went silent, biting down onto her lip as she looked away. Did she really want to do this? She knew they needed to talk, but as she thought of it – did she want to open those wounds? Ones that weren't healed, but stitched up enough to make her numb? She exhaled deeply, looking back at Edward. When did she have another chance to lay this to rest? Possibly never.

"Okay." She said with a nod. "I'll be there around two."

"Okay." Edward nodded, trying to suppress a smile. Bella crossed her arms over her chest and took a step back.

"I have to go." She whispered and he nodded his head. "I'll be there tomorrow."

"Promise?" He asked.

"I promise." She said, reaching out to touch his arm. And very slowly she turned away and opened the door, heading out with a heavy heart that was filled with different emotions. She didn't even know what to think – everything happened so fast. But that didn't mean it was over – it was far from over. They still had things to talk about, to go over. And she knew it would be a long journey that could only right its own ending. But one thing was for sure…

Her heart was right all along.

* * *

**Holy. Fucking. Shit.**

**That was a long as chapter. And I apologize profusely that it took so long. But let me just say this is three chapters in one. Usually my chapters are about 10 pages. This was 31. And I honestly could not split it up because I didn't even know where to split it at. **

**I really hope you guys enjoyed this though. I know they haven't talked a lot but in the next coming chapters they will! Everything will fall into place! phew! **

**I promise I wont take as long next time, because I promise the chapter wont be 31 pages.**

**Thanks to my beta for doing this monster of a chapter.**

**And thanks to you guys for reading!**

**Review and get a sneak peak to next chapter!**

**xoxo**  
**- s **


	27. Chapter 26

x

**Chapter 26**

Edward hauled the logs from the base floor up to the chipper, a sheet of sweat covering his brow as he did this same thing ten more times. He was the last one out, all of his coworkers leaving to go home and sleep. He was almost done – damn near close but all he had to do was close shop. He walked over to the metal door, unlatching the chain that brought it down. Footsteps caused him to look over his shoulder and what he saw caused his teeth to grind.

"Felix," Edward said with a set jaw, narrowing his eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"Just around the neighborhood," Felix said, taking a hit of his cigarette and flicking it to the side. Edward set the chain back on and slid off his gloves, watching as Felix glanced around a bit and then back to Edward with a smirk. "Did you hear I got a promotion? I'm Aro's right hand man now."

"Due to my absences," Edward said plainly, jaw tight as his teeth clenched. "If I hadn't left…"

"All irrelevant," Felix chided with a roll of his eyes. "And I'm sure you also heard that the girl got home?" Edward tensed and looked away, the exact reaction Felix was planning on him having. Edward pretended to ignore him grabbing the chain of the garage door, pulling down on it the metal door slowly beginning to fall. "A bit ironic that you leave us and a few days later the girl winds up in the newspaper with her parents." Felix chuckled, shaking his head. "And it's funny, really, because she escaped about four months ago… and then doesn't get home until three months ago… I'm just curious as to where she was between those months. What do you think Edward? Well, wherever she was I hope she got a good beating. The bitch deserved it."

Edward had then let go of the chain, the metal door plummeting down and hitting the ground with a loud thwack, the floor vibrating around them as Edward could feel his chest heaving as his fists clenched in tight balls.

"Have I struck a sore spot?" Felix smirked; Edward's eyes shot daggers into his face. "Listen, Masen, I know your tricks. I know what you did. I know what you were doing. It's a shame really, that Aro can't see it but since I have upgraded to his side I will be sure to prove to him how you single handedly allowed the girl to escape and kept her with you for that long."

"You can't prove shit," Edward growled, low in his chest.

"You'll see," Felix grew a wicked grin – one that set a nervous chill in Edward's bones. "And when Aro realizes what you did, the consequences will be dire, I can promise you that."

"If you even think about fucking with me, Felix…" Edward began.

"You?" He asked, almost as if offended. "Why would I want to mess with you? You have no purpose to me. You're already gone from the Volturi; your job is now mine. It's the girl I want. And when I convince Aro that you were behind it, he'll send hit men for you. And I'll go for the girl, this time I will make sure she doesn't make it out alive," Felix sneered now in Edward's face. "You watch your fucking back. Because I'll be shooting at it."

Edward wasn't intimidated – Felix was all talk. It was the part about Bella that was setting him off – Felix may be all talk, but if he's passionate about something he will go after it. Edward had learned that from time to time.

"Get the fuck out of here. _Now_. Before I shoot you in the fucking head." Edward snarled and Felix just smirked, turning around and making his way out to his SUV. Edward watched as he pulled out and into the street, driving off into the darkness. Edward wanted to go after him – he wanted to shove his pistol into Felix's mouth and pull the trigger just for threatening Bella. But he couldn't do that.

Instead he just became angrier and angrier, the emotions building him up and breaking him down to the point where he regretted the past day and his meet with Bella. He walked to his car, opening up the door and grabbing his cell phone from the console. He dialed a number and sat it against his ear, waiting for an answer.

"Hello?" A voice said over the line.

"Alice, I need a favor," he began. "I need you to go to the park…"

Xx

_Dad,_

_Have gone to Seattle to meet with Alice. I'll be back before dinner. Tell Garrett not to tell mom. I needed to go alone. Call me when you wake._

_xoxo_

_B_

It wasn't even twenty minutes that Bella had been on the road until she got a call from Charlie. He yelled her ear off and said he was coming after her, but after much persuasion she was able to calm him down. He then proceeded to shove the phone to Garrett who told her that he was calling Renee. She was also able to convince him not to call her mom considering his job was on the line for allowing her to slip past him. She promised both of them she would be home before dinner and they reluctantly allowed her to continue on her journey.

It was a two hour drive, and she was afraid her car wasn't going to make it, but the truck was reliable for how old it was and within record time, she made it to the park Edward told her to meet her at.

She stepped out of her car and made her way to the entrance of the park, looking up to the arch. With a deep breath through her nose and exhaling from her mouth she stepped past the archway and began into the park. She walked the path that curved and twisted, the trees that were bright colors due to the fall weather hung above her – some falling down a scattering across the pathway. And as she walked, one foot in front of the other she felt as if her heart was in her throat. She was still in denial that all last night had actually happened – what were the chances that Esme and Carlisle were Edward's parents? It was some ironic twist a fate to either bring them together or tear them apart even more.

Seeing him last night had brought back so many thoughts to her head. Bella didn't know whether to believe in coincidence or fate. Was it just chance that Charlie and Esme knew each other? Was it chance that Charlie and Bella had ran into her at that small café? Or was it fate? Was there some kind of high power that was forcing Edward and Bella together? Bella couldn't be too sure – her life a string of incidents that neither prove nor denied it.

Bella continued down the path, her cheeks turning pink from the wind hitting her sensitive skin. They'd never actually planned where to meet in the park, but considering it was only a little smaller than a football field it couldn't be hard to find him. She passed many people who jogged or were walking with their pets, but not once had she seen a pair of green eyes and auburn hair to match. Maybe he had forgotten. The thought made Bella chew on her lip. Could he really just forget the plans that he made? Was she just walking around the park and looking like some kind of idiot for a person who wasn't there? The thoughts bombarded her head like canons and just as she felt the need to turn around and head back, she heard her name being called out.

"Alice?" Bella asked curiously, slowly strolling up to the bench that she was sitting on. Alice was dressed in a large pea coat, a satin scarf around her neck as her black hair stuck up around her head. She smiled brightly, bopping up from the seat and bouncing towards Bella.

"Hi Bella!" She smiled widely, though Bella still looked confused. "Oh, Edward is going to be a little late. He sent me over here. I figured we would just go get some brunch."

"Oh," she said, a hint of disappointment lacing into her tone. Alice only smirked and cocked her, jumping forward and grabbing Bella's arm.

"I know, you wanted to see him but just think about it – we'll have a girl's day today," she giggled directing Bella around to the other direction as they walked down the path that Bella had taken to get here.

"Great," Bella said through a huff of air and Alice only rolled her eyes – not affected in the least by her being upset by Edward's sudden change of plans. Alice only smiled and directed Bella away and out of the park and into town.

"Well don't sound too excited." Alice laughed, patting onto her arm.

"I'm sorry, Ali. I didn't mean it like that. It's just…" Bella trailed off and Alice only nodded her head. She understood why Bella was upset – and she had no reason to be angry at her for it. "I'm glad you're here." Bella smiled, looking down to Alice.

"You better be. Because you're stuck with me." Alice grinned as the two headed down the street.

They ended up at a small café on the corner of a busy street. The café was decked out in white flowers that hung from the ceiling, the chairs like ivory patterns you'd see in gardens as the servers were not in suits, but in dresses and white pants. It was a little much for Bella, but Alice seemed to like the place. As their table hostess set down the menus in front of them, Bella opened hers only to nearly choke at the prices. Alice only laughed loudly and told Bella she would take care of the bill. Bella wanted to refuse – but there was no way she had enough money for whatever she decided to get.

"Your waiter will be here in just a moment," The hostess said and Alice smiled with a nod as Bella set her menu down. Alice crossed her legs under the table, adjusting her gold sleeves of her sweater as she looked up to Bella.

"I don't think we really got the chance to talk last night." Alice said, leaning forward and grabbing Bella's hands. Bella only smiled sympathetically and nodded.

"I was a bit… Pre-occupied," Bella trailed off.

"To say the least," Alice smirked, shaking her head.

"I still can't wrap my head around it." Bella began, letting go of Alice's hands and setting back in her chair. "Of all doctors in Seattle – It had to be Carlisle. I mean, it's just so… Ironic."

"That's not ironic, Bella," Alice said quickly, her voice clear and true. "That's fate." Bella only scoffed and shook her head. "No. Really. I'm a true believer in love and fate and soul mates. You two are supposed to be together. That's why everything played out the way it did."

"Edward doesn't think like that though." Bella shook her head. "I don't even think like that."

"That's because you two are stupid," Alice said plainly. Bella looked up – offended at first, but knew that Alice, as harsh as she may be – was very kind in her nature. "You two go around and around in circles always pointing fingers, but never can you just accept what is."

"There is nothing to accept. Only the fact that I woke up in the hospital alone." Bella shook her head. "It was one of the worse ways to wake up," Bella said softly, shaking her head. "I thought… I thought something happened. You know... With his old employer…" Bella trailed off and Alice got her message. "But it was only because he didn't want me."

Alice scoffed loudly, her hands slamming on the table causing Bella to jump.

"What? You're still thinking that?" Alice growled, shaking her head. "You are so incredibly…" Alice groaned, shaking her head to stop speaking. She took in a deep breath and blew it out through her nose. "Listen – Bella. I can tell you – no, I can promise you that is not the reason he did what he did. And what he did may be inexcusable but I swear the reason he did it was not for the reason you think."

Bella said nothing and only kept her mouth shut. Alice waited for her to reply but Bella only looked away. This is when Alice realized that her brother and Bella were so good together – they were both incredibly stupid. Alice rolled her eyes and looked over away only to lay her eyes on a waiter a few tables from them. She quickly looked away, her face as pale as a ghost as she chewed on her lip.

"Ali?" Bella asked, raising a brow. "You alright?"

"That waiter…" She trailed off, tilting her head in his direction. "He – He's been here for awhile… I… Kind of…"

"Like him?" Bella asked, finishing her sentence.

"Oh, God… He usually doesn't work on Fridays." Alice nearly cried, shaking her head. "I don't even look good… Oh god!" Alice bit at her lip, shaking her head. Bella took a second look at the familiar stranger, trying to picture where she knew him from.

"I think… I think I know him." Bella said, squinting her eyes to try and take a glimpse at his name tag. Alice's eyes widened, turning towards her as she began to stammer.

"Y-You know him?" Alice asked, her voice an octave higher than usual. That's when the man turned around and began towards their table. Alice quickly fixed her stature, sitting straight up as she played with her hair. Bella watched in amusement as Alice brushed her fingers along her cheeks, and then smoothed down her sweater.

"Good afternoon, ladies." The waiter said with that same smile that caught Alice's sight. Though, Alice was avoiding eye contact, staring intently down at her menu. "My name is Jasper; I'll be your waiter today."

"_Jasper_?" Bella balked, now remembering where she knew him for. Jasper looked to Bella, blinking a few times.

"Uh, yes Miss," he said, with a nod of his head.

"Do you remember me?" She asked, but Jasper only shook his head in apology. "Bell? I was at that reggae concert. I bumped into you. I danced with that old man?" Bella laughed loudly, and Jasper's eyes finally widened as he realized who she was.

"Bell? I thought you looked kind of familiar! You had blonde hair, though?" He asked, pointing at her head with his pen.

"Oh, Yeah. It was a wig. And you can just call me Bella." She said with a nod, smiling brightly.

"Oh, so it was short for something." Jasper smirked wickedly, only to glance over at Alice who was blushing furiously, staring down at her menu.

"This is my friend, Alice. Alice, this is Jasper." Bella said, kicking at Alice's shin. Alice jumped in her seat, looking up to Jasper who was smiling down at her, a very soft – a very beautiful smile. Alice felt heated – like the place was getting hotter and hotter by the second.

"Hi." Alice squeaked, biting at her lip.

"Alice." Jasper tilted his head in a very gentlemen way. "I think I've seen you around here before." Alice only nodded her head, her lips as if they were sewn shut. "Well it's good to see you again and you too as well Miss. Bella. You know there is a new concert coming up; maybe we should all go and see it?"

"Yeah, that would be great," Bella said with a nod, looking to Alice who only nodded as well.

"Alright, it's a date," he said, looking to Alice. Alice only smirked, looking away. "What can I get you two ladies to drink?"

"Martini." Alice choked out. "Please." She smiled sheepishly, looking away. Jasper only smirked and then turned to Bella.

"Just water." Bella waved

"Alright, one martini and one water. I'll give you guys a couple more minutes to look over the menu and I'll be right back with your drinks," he said. Bella smiled with a nod and just as Jasper turned to leave, he gave Alice a small smirk.

"Well geez, Alice. I think that's the longest time I haven't heard you speak." Bella laughed and Alice only shook her head, blushing madly.

"I've had a crush on him ever since he started here a year ago." Alice groaned, setting her forehead into her hands. "I can't believe I just screwed that up."

"Clearly you didn't since he invited us out." Bella smiled, reaching over and patting her arm. "I think you were cute."

"Cute isn't exactly what I'm looking for. More like sexy." Alice groaned, leaning back in her chair. "I can't believe I just slipped up like that. I'm such an idiot."

"You're not an idiot. You obviously just really like him," Bella said with a smile. "We've all been there. Not knowing what to say when you're around them." She laughed, shaking her head. "It's like they put us in sleep mode. We just… Check out."

"Oh, God." Alice shook her head, her hands on her forehead. That's when her cell phone began ringing in her purse, and Alice quickly fished it out. She looked to who was calling her, and very quickly took a side glance at Bella who was staring down at her menu. "Give me just a second, Bella." Alice smiled, standing from the table.

Bella nodded, watching as Alice stood and walked away to the corner of the café, answering her phone. It was quite loud, so Bella could only hear parts of her conversation.

"What do you mean your not…Well you better…I can't keep stalling…" Alice's voice was then flushed out when a group of girls passed Bella's table. When Alice was in view again, she looked angry – her fist balled up as she closed her eye. "What am I suppose to say?" That was the last thing Bella heard before another group of people passed, and by the time they were gone Alice was off the phone, making her way back to the table.

She sat down slowly, smiling kindly at Bella who wasn't being fooled by what just happened.

"Alice?" Bella asked sternly. "Who was that?"

Alice was quiet, but she knew she could only be quiet for so long. She just shrugged her shoulders and replied with _no one_. Bella wasn't taking this though - and she quickly reached forward, grabbing Alice's arm. Alice looked up to her, seeing the sadness in her eyes.

"Alice… Please," Bella said.

Alice pressed her lips together, glancing away just as her phone rang again. Alice looked down to it, seeing a text message coming through. She took in a deep breath, and very slowly slid her phone around so Bella could see. Bella took it in her hands, staring down at the message.

_Tell her I'm sorry_.

Bella quickly looked up to Alice, setting the phone back on the table. What was he sorry for? Sorry because he can't make it today? Or sorry because he doesn't want to do this? The answer was in Alice's eyes and Bella could feel her own welling up with tears. Her emotions were all over the place – she didn't know whether to cry or hit something. She wanted to do both. He wasn't sorry. If he were sorry, he would man up and come tell her that he was sorry. No, he was hiding. For whatever reason – he was taking back his word. And Bella would not let him.

"Where is he?" She said quickly.

"What?" Alice balked.

"Where does he live?" Bella said sternly, looking to Alice who was lost for words. She didn't know what to say. "Alice… Where does he live?"

"Bella… I can't… he said…" Alice began, shaking her head and looking to the text message.

"I need to know," Bella said quickly. "And I'll do this with or without your help. But without will take longer."

Bella's words struck a chord in Alice, and she bit down onto her lip, sitting back into her chair. She wanted to tell Bella that she couldn't tell her, due to family drama that she knew would occur if she gave Bella his address. But what if she didn't? What if she told Bella that she couldn't have the address? Well then the two would be exactly where they were before – lost, hopeless, heartbroken. Edward would never know what it was like to hold her, never to know what it was like to kiss and love her again. And if Alice let this slipped by – she didn't know where her brother would wind up. He needed her. And she needed him. He was just too damn blind to see it.

Very swiftly Alice pulled out a pen from her purse, writing Edward's address on the corner of her napkin. She then slid it to Bella across the table where she grabbed it, folding it over and stood up from her chair.

"Thank you," Bella said softly, holding the napkin close to her.

"Call me. Right after. Okay?" Alice asked, Bella nodded grabbing her bag and heading out the door.

Xx

With just a map and her old truck – Bella had realized that Edward moved clear across town. It was an hour trip, and she hoped that her truck could make it. With what it went through before she was kidnapped she wasn't too sure. But it chugged and coughed all the way to northern Seattle, and as she pulled into the vicinity of where Edward lived, a lump created in her throat that was hard to swallow. To say that he downgraded was an understatement. This place – not just the complex but everything around it – it was old and worn out. It didn't give off the welcoming vibe like his old apartment, and this worried Bella.

What else worried Bella was all the time in the car – she never thought of what to say to him. All she thought about was how mad she was – how upset she was that he actually took back his word. Never did she actually think about what to say to him. But maybe – that was what she was supposed to tell him. She knew she couldn't walk in there and they would talk it out like normal human beings – no. There would be fighting. There would be screaming. And there would be crying.

Mostly on her part. It was inevitable.

"Bella, what are you doing?" She said to herself, setting her hand onto her forehead. Just in this moment, Bella heard a door opening and closing and when she perked up, squirming in her chair, she saw Edward stepping down the steps of his home, walking around and to the parking lot she was parking in across the way. He looked around a few times, not noticing her considering she was blocked from view by two cars, she watched as he got into his car with rectangular metal box in his hand.

The very same one she found locked under his desk so many months ago.

This confused her, and as she sat up more she watched as he peeled out of the parking lot, turning down onto the road. She knew she shouldn't follow him. She knew her safest bet was to just wait here until he returned – but her curiosity was getting the best of her and against her better judgment she shifted the truck into drive and followed his jeep.

She stayed five cars behind – knowing how loud her truck could be, but he didn't seem to notice. He continued on his path and Bella was right behind him. And the deeper they went, the shadier the area became. It was well over a half an hour when Edward had finally pulled into a parking lot, a large, run-down building just to the side of it as lights flashed in and out of the windows. She pulled over on the side of the road, watching as he parked out in the back. He grabbed his metal container and stepped out of his car, walking to the building and heading up the stairs.

Bella watched as he reached a top, a very large, burly man coming out from the door. The two began speaking and than shook hands. The man stepped to the side allowing Edward in, where he disappeared into the building.

_Just stay here. You can confront him in the parking lot when he comes back. Do not go inside. _

It was her conscience speaking to her, over and over again. But it was her heart that was tugging at her, that was telling her to go. And it was her anger who was also screaming at her – telling her to follow his trail and see what exactly was so important that he could not see her. All of them combined left her at a crossroads, and when she couldn't decide for herself – she let her anger lead the way. She pulled into the parking lot and parked right next to Edward's car. Her conscience was sighing at her, but she ignored it and stepped out of the car, finally hearing the thud of vibration of music coming form the building. She looked up, seeing that the man who let Edward in was standing in front of the door, staring straight down at her.

He had sunglasses on – even though it was near the evening time, a gold chain hanging around his neck, tattoos written across his bald head as his heavy arms crossed over his chest. Bella gulped and began towards the staircase, grabbing a hold the woodened arm of it as she stepped up. She was going slow, purposely, because the man was staring her down, making her very uncomfortable.

"Sorry, girly. There are no tea parties going on inside. Turn back around," he said, twirling his fat finger and a circular motion.

"I'm not here for a _tea party_." Bella spat, trying her hardest to put on a brave face. "I came with the guy who just came in."

The man laughed. He had actually laughed in her face.

"Doubtful," he said simply, a smug smirk on his face. "Why don't you go on and turn around and head back into your car pretty girl. I'll pass on the message you were here."

Bella narrowed her eyes at him, setting her jaw as she felt her anger boiling up. He was treating her like a little girl and she didn't like it one bit. Bella huffed heatedly and crossed her arms, exactly how his were.

"Don't call me a pretty girl. And don't act as if I'm too fragile to go in there. I'm here with the guy who just came in, and that's that. So if you don't mind, please step aside and let me in." Her tone had raised, but her facial expression stayed the same. Mad. And the man wasn't intimidated at the least – only amused. But against his better judgment, he knew she was harmless and because of that he stepped to the side and allowed her in. Bella only glared as she passed him and opened the door but as she walked in, she was smirking in victory.

The moment Bella stepped into the building she began a coughing fit as smoke was inhaled into her lungs. It was lingering everywhere, and as she walked farther down the hallway, the music pumped into her ears and people crawled around like animals, holding and groping onto each other as some sat down, smoking a blunt or doing lines of cocaine.

_What the hell is this place? _

A drug house. It's exactly what Bella didn't expect. Why would Edward be here? And why would he even want to be in here? People began staring, noticing Bella and her very casual attire as they all dressed in pretty mini dresses and suits and ties. It was odd – it wasn't what she expected – but maybe that's what made it so strange. Bella continued in search of Edward – rolling her eyes as someone whistled at her. She walked down to the last of the rooms that doors were wide open and stopped just shy of one – once she heard a familiar voice.

"I'm not selling it to you half price, your just trying to fucking rip me off." Edward said, almost growling. Bella turned her head, looking into the room. A dark man with dreads sat at a couch, rummaging through Edward's metal container. Across the room, and with his back towards Bella was Edward, and he was not alone. A red head was attached to his side, her curly hair feral and large as she stared straight at Edward, a playful smirk at her lips as Bella watch his thumb go across her lips.

It felt as if she were being stabbed, over and over again. Bella turned away, feeling her breath hitching in her throat as she tried not to gasp. She covered her hand over her mouth and held in her tears – knowing they were useless. She turned her head back, seeing that Edward was now next to the man who had the metal container, pulling out what looked like pill bottles and stacking them across the table.

"You don't know how much it fucking took me to get all this. I'm selling it to you half of the price. That's complete bull shit." Edward sneered.

"I could get this shit at a drugstore, Masen. What makes yours so special?" He said, looking over to Edward.

"Vicodin? Demerol? You won't find this shit anywhere with a doctors note. You fucking well know that too. It's full price. Two hundred a pill." Edward said.

"Two hundred? It was one fifty just a second ago!" The man yelled out in rage, standing up from the couch.

"That's before you pissed me off." Edward said, reaching for the red-head woman who he clutched to his side. "It's two hundred a pill or nothing at all. I'm not fucking around with you. This shit is real. I'm not going to fake you out."

"Yeah? How can I trust you?" The man said with a snarl and Edward only smirked.

"You got nothing to lose, do you?" He said, cocking his head to the side. The man sighed loudly and pulled his wallet down, setting a load of cash onto the table. Edward picked it up, counting it quickly before knelling down and unloading a pill bottle, taking half of the pills and carefully dropping them into a small plastic bag.

Bella hadn't realized at the time how much she was leaning in towards the door – and she didn't have time to correct her mistake before the dark man had turned up, looking straight at her.

"What the fuck are you doing?" He said, standing up, ready to charge. Bella froze in spot, stepping back and against the wall. Edward had turned, and the moment he saw her – it was like time froze. So many emotions crossed his face that Bella couldn't even pinpoint which one he was actually feeling. "Get the fuck out of here you stupid bitch before I make you!" The man screamed and Bella's eyes widened and she turned on her eyes, heading out as quickly as possible. She heard Edward screamed – at the guy or for her she really didn't know, and she quickly made sped her pace towards the door.

"Hey baby." A voice said, and very quickly she was stopped, ramming into someone's chest. "Mm, you've been here for awhile?" The man's eyes were bloodshot; his body clinging onto hers and Bella felt her hands against his chest, pulling away.

"Get off of me!" She yelled, pushing away from him.

"Baby, don't be like that!" He told her, but Bella was clawing her way out from his grasp.

"Get the fuck away from her." A voice said behind them, and the man who was holding onto Bella let go without any kind of argument. Bella turned around to see Edward, his eyes dark and angry and his lips were pressed into a hard line. "If you ever fucking touch her again, I will kill you. Do you understand me?"

"Chill, Masen. Didn't know she was taken." The man said, holding his arms up and walking away. Bella clenched her mouth shut and began for the door once again, but it wasn't until she felt a hand on her arm that she stopped. Edward twisted her around, and through the cloud of smoke and the loud music he stepped closer to her – his eyes blazing with a fury that she knew would consume her.

"What are you doing here Bella? How the fuck did you find me?" He growled and Bella pushed away from him, hitting his chest.

"It doesn't matter now. I'm leaving," she said, turning around and heading for the door.

"Do you understand who comes here?" Edward said, pulling her close to him as she struggled against his grip. "_They_ come here. Why the fuck are you so stupid sometimes? Why on earth did you even think this was okay?"

"Stop talking to me like I'm a child, Edward!" Bella screamed.

"Then stop acting like it!" Edward grabbed her, holding her to his chest and as she struggled, he kept her close. There was no intimacy in this at all – it was as if he was hiding her. He pulled her outside, glaring up at the man at the front door who lifted his hands up in innocence. Bella gave up on struggling and very quickly, she found her self back to her truck, pinned at the window.

"I don't know what the hell is your problem – Or Alice for that matter, because I'm very sure she's the one who told you where I was but I know your fucking smarter than this Bella. You know you're smarter than this." He told her, with a pointing finger.

"How the hell was I supposed to know that this was a drug house?" Bella asked, her arms wide to emphasize her words.

"Be smart, Bella! Don't fucking go into places your not sure what they are! Fucking Christ, do you have a death wish?" He growled, walking away and setting his hands onto his forehead. "Do you even understand what could have happened if the wrong people were there?"

"I get it Edward! But they weren't! And all I saw was you selling drugs. Is that what you do now? Instead of kidnapping, you're into the drug business?" Bella laughed humorlessly, shaking her head. "Your pathetic, you know that right? I can't believe this is what it's come to."

"This is what it's come to so I can support myself." Edward snarled. "I'm sorry I don't have a rich step-dad like you who hands me everything I ask for."

"You know that's not how it works!" She cried.

"Just fucking go home, Bella. I don't even want to look at you anymore." He said, shaking his head. Bella could feel the tears welling up in her eyes as she felt weaker than ever when he told her that.

"Well there's a cute red-head in there waiting for you. I'm sure if you're sick of looking at me, she wouldn't mind the attention." Bella said softly, looking away. If there was any kind of low point for Edward, this was it. He saw the way she turned from him; saw the way the tears in her eyes glistened. He hated to know that he was the one that made her sad.

"Bella…" He choked out.

"Your right," she said instantly. "I was stupid for coming here. I had no business following you. Everything between us ended three months ago. I crossed the line. I'm sorry," she said with a definitive nod.

"Bella, don't…" Edward began but Bella had turned around and began into her truck. "Hey, hey… Stop." He grabbed her arm, just as she was about to close the door, but she didn't look up to him. Edward sighed loudly, looking away and then back down to her. "You know where I live?" He asked, and Bella looked up – nodding her head. He reached into his pockets and pulled out his keys, unhooking one from the jumble and handing it to her, "Go back there. I'll be there in a few. We'll talk more. Okay?"

Bella was weary – she didn't want to cross another line. But she couldn't stop the feelings that crackled between them. She couldn't deny him. No matter how hard she tried. She nodded her head and Edward leaned forward, pressing his lips to her head.

"I'll be there soon. Okay?" He told her and she nodded, holding the key in her hand as she watched him walk away and back towards the building.

Xx

Having gotten lost a few times, she had finally made it back to Edward's. She shifted her car into park and stepped out, holding the key Edward gave to her tight in her grip. She grabbed her bag from the passenger side and began towards the door of his apartment just before her phone began ringing in her back pocket. She pulled her phone out, seeing that it was Charlie calling. She outwardly groaned and then hit the talk button just before setting it to her ear.

"Hi Dad," she said sweetly.

"Bells, where are you? It's getting late," Charlie said, his voice worried and rushed. "Garrett said you were supposed to be back an hour ago. I've held him back as long as I could but he's about to go out and go looking for ya."

"Um, I got caught up with Alice. Tell him I'm okay. I'll be on my way back soon. Kay?" Bella asked, grabbing a strand of her hair and wrapping it around her finger. "Don't worry. I'm alright."

"Bells… I just want you to be safe," He told her.

"I know, dad. I'm alright. I'm going to be home soon, okay?" She told him and Charlie grunted his agitation.

"Alright. Call on your way home," he said.

"Kay. I will." She smiled and hung up the phone. Bella slid it back into her pocket and headed towards Edward's door. She slid the key through the lock, twisting it open as the door slowly swung open.

It was… different. It wasn't the same as his old one. She didn't like it. Everything was drained of color – boxes stacked everywhere. He hadn't even unpacked yet. Bella bit at her lip, closing the door behind her as she stepped further into the house. She heard something then, something hitting the hard floor like – paws. Coming out of the door just across the room was Russell, ears perked and tail wagging.

"Russell!" Bella said loudly and the dog instantly shot off, running towards her with all its might, his paws slipping against the hard floor. Bella leaned down onto her knees just as the dog got to her and very loudly he began whining, licking all over her face as if to tell her that he missed her. She laughed, rubbing all over him as he continued to cry over and over again, licking at her face. "I've missed you too, buddy," She laughed, holding onto him and hugging him tightly.

Once he calmed down, she pet him on the head, kissing the side of his face just before standing up. Not once did he leave her side. When she moved, he moved – following her everywhere. She didn't mind, she had missed this dog like crazy.

She sat down onto the chair in the sitting area, taking in slow and deep breaths to relax. Russell sat next to her on the floor, his head sitting her lap as his tail wagged on the hardwood floor. Bella looked down at him and smiled, but she could feel her nerves that were lit up like wires and she curled into the chair, waiting for Edward to come home.

It was only an hour later until Bella heard the doorknob twist, and it brought her out of her half sleep, jumping up quickly as Edward walked in the front door. Edward walked in slowly, immediately catching Bella's eyes. He took in a deep breath and slowly closed the door.

"Hi," Bella said nervously, her hands twisting together as she bit at her lip.

"Hey," he said, watching her intently. When nothing was said, he looked down to see Russell, right at her heels and that made him smile. "Seems like nothing has changed." Edward said, and Bella looked down just as Russell looked up to her.

"He won't stop following me," she said with a slight smile, patting him at the top of his head. Edward chuckled and then it went quiet once again. Bella bit hard down on her lip and she watched as he took a few steps towards her, just until he veered off, heading into the small kitchen.

"Did you want something to drink?" he asked and she only shook her head, standing awkwardly in the middle of the room. Edward had grabbed himself a beer and opened it up, taking a small swig before setting it down. It grew awkwardly silent because neither knew what exactly to say. The perfect words seemed to be lost in the abyss and none of them could find them. Bella looked up to Edward, clearing her throat. Edward looked to her, his jaw tightening as he exhaled through his nose.

"So… Is that… your new job?" She asked, clearing her throat as her arms crossed over her chest.

"More or less," he said with a shrug. "I work at a lumber company a few miles from here. What you saw is just a side project," he said plainly, as if it didn't bother him – as if he wasn't ashamed.

"Why do you do it?" She asked.

"For money, Bella. Why else?" He laughed bitterly.

"Well… You can get in a lot of trouble," she said with a gulp, taking a few steps away from her original spot.

"Yeah, it's nothing I haven't dealt with before. I've dipped in a few bad things in my life, as you're well aware of. But I need the money. I'm in debt." He said, grabbing his beer and sliding around the counter. "I wouldn't expect you to understand."

"What does that mean?" Bella bit. "If you're in debt, I'm sure Alice will…"

"I'm not asking Alice for money. I'm doing fine by myself," he said angrily. Bella rolled her eyes, looking away.

"I can tell," she said sarcastically under her breath.

"You just don't get it Bella. You never will. I have to work hard for the shit I want. I don't want a money loan from my sister. Or my parents. Or anyone else. I'm managing fine, by myself. And that's that," he said with a tone that Bella did not appreciate. "The drug business is tricky, but people pay a lot for that shit. And I need the money to get the big branded stuff so I can re-sell."

"Like _Trazodone_?" She said, knowing it would hit him hard. Edward only looked away, his jaw set tight as he tried not to get angry.

"Why did you follow me Bella?" Edward asked suddenly, his voice plain and irritated – his eyes boring into hers.

"Because I'm an idiot,_ apparently_." She back-talked him, sneering with narrowed eyes. "I wanted to ask you why you blew me off today. You gave Alice no good reason other than to tell her you were sorry. Sorry for what? For not making it? Or you're sorry because you can't do it in general? You can't do… Us?" She asked and Edward stayed quiet, avoiding eye contact. Bella laughed bitterly, shaking her head. "Need I remind you, you are the one who made the plans."

"I know," he said plainly.

"So why? Why are you dragging me along? Why are you just playing with my head? What's the point?" Bella said, getting angered.

"It's not intentional. Shit happens." He shrugged nonchalantly. Bella laughed. It was an empty laugh. It was the laugh that warned Edward that he was fucked. That they were fucked. And World War III was about to begin.

"_Shit happens_?" Bella growled. "That's what you have to say? God, you're a fucking prick. You know that right?"

"Yeah, in-fact I do." He told her, shoving his beer away as he charged towards her, stopping just shy of her. "Tell me something I don't fucking know."

"You're a coward as well. But I assume you know that one too." Bella bit, crossing her arms across her chest, not leaving eye contact with him. "And you're also an asshole. But I think that one is a given."

"Already know." Edward smirked acidly. "And you know what you are? You're a bitch. You're a bitch for what you did last night at dinner, and you're a bitch for what you've been doing behind my back."

"_Behind your back_?" Bella said confusingly. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Does the name _Trevor_ ring a fucking bell?" He asked and Bella's eyes widened. "Oh yeah, you and your boyfriend were all over the news over here. You didn't know? You two making out at your fucking ranch. Yeah, I saw it."

"Do _not _bring him up." Bella said angrily. "You have no right."

"I have no right?" Edward laughed, turning around and heading around the couch. "Sorry, am I striking a sore spot? Can't take the digs at your boyfriend?"

"Why do you even care if he is or isn't?" Bella screamed, following him. "Don't act as if you weren't all over Tanya last night! Or that red-head at the drug house! You accuse me of getting a boyfriend yet I'm sure you've been sleeping with women all over this town! Your such a hypocrite!"

"So you admit he's your boyfriend?" Edward seethed – getting angrier by the second.

"So what if he is! You shouldn't care! You gave up that position a long time ago and if he was qualified for the spot, then I would have no problem giving it to him!" Bella screamed, pushing on his chest. Edward stepped back from the push, watching as her face turned red and her eyes began to water. "When I came home he treated me the way I deserve to be treated! He loved me and cared for me in ways you failed to do! He wanted to be with me! And you know what I said? I told him I couldn't because I'm stupidly still in love with the biggest fucking asshole on the planet!"

Everything next went as a blur to Bella and she suddenly felt Edward's lips on her own. She didn't want to kiss him back – she wanted to shove him away and tell him to go fuck himself but her body was a traitor. He had pinned her against the wall, grabbing at her waist and pulling her close. She felt like the air in her lungs were gone and her mind was in a different world. It had been so long – and even if she regretted it later, she wouldn't let it slip past her.

She kissed him back. Against all her better judgment, she kissed him back, her arms around his neck as she attacked his lips with her own. It wasn't the romantic kiss she thought they were going to do whenever they were comfortable with each other again – it was sloppy and wet and rushed and frantic. It was them. It was all the emotion, all the feelings hidden away for the past three months. And somewhere between hurried and clinging, it turned into the kiss she wanted. He was holding her to his lips like he did so many months ago.

Bella felt her eyes well up with tears again. She didn't want to cry, not right now – but she couldn't help it.

"I love you," Edward said against her lips, feeling her tears against his skin as they fell. "So fucking much. I never stopped. _Never_." He told her and Bella felt a whimper in her throat and his hands at her face as he wiped away her tears. "I'm sorry. I'm so fucking sorry. Please… Don't hate me."

"I don't," she said quickly, shaking her head. "I couldn't."

Edward pulled away, looking down to her and that's when she had noticed that his eyes were glistening with tears. She felt a lump in her throat and she pulled onto his shirt, bringing him closer again so she could peck his lips and felt his hot tears fall to her cheeks as if they were her own.

"I was only trying to protect you," He said just as she brought her face into his neck, sobbing uncontrollably. "Felix… He knows everything. He still does. But I can't stay away from you anymore, I don't care." He said and Bella cried, shaking her head as if to answer him, as if to plead him not to leave her. "Those girls… They meant nothing… I swear… Tanya only came with me so I could make an impression with her father; see if he'd get me a job at his company. And the girl at the drug house… It was just to make a sale, I swear. I never did anything with them. There hasn't been anyone. Not since you. Please believe me." He shook, gripping onto her tighter. "Please trust me…"

Bella nodded her head, gripping onto his hair and she took in his scent.

"Please let me love you again… I… I need you," he said his walls down and the hard exterior gone like dust in the wind. Bella pulled away, her eyes puffy with tears as she looked up to him.

"Edward…" She cried. "I can't do this again… I can't be broken like that… I'm not… I'm not strong enough."

"I promise…" He sobbed. "I won't hurt you. I won't leave you. I swear. I'm so sorry. Please. _Please _don't leave me, please don't let me go. Don't give up on me." And much to Bella's surprise, Edward had dropped to the floor, gripping onto her stomach and holding her close. She had never seen him so – _fragile_. There was nothing worse than seeing him beg on the ground, crying for her to stay.

She fell down to him, her legs mounting his waist as her arms wrapped around his neck, her lips pressing down to his head as she nodded.

"We'll be okay," she promised "_We'll be okay_."

Xx

Brown reflected green. Skin touched, remembered – buzzed alive. Fingertips left wake of fire down faces and chests, caressing cheeks as lips touched barely, skimming over each other as if the other weren't real. Hands grabbed on, lacing fingers as they fell over blankets. It was emotional, it was raw, it was _real_.

They never went past kissing – there was too much emotion in one night and adding physical love would only push them to an edge that they weren't ready to slip off of. All they could do was enjoy ones company, sending chaste kisses here and there but more so than anything, they just looked at each other. Bella thought it was unreal – being in this position again, but it felt so good. It felt amazing being in his arms, feeling and hearing his heartbeat against her. There was still so much to talk about and come this time tomorrow they may not be the same. So for right now she would leave this as it was.

_Perfect_.

Three months was much too long. She didn't want to be apart from him ever again and she would try her hardest to make sure it doesn't happen but she knew life wouldn't always give her the easy way out. It would be hard. There would be obstacles, trusting him would be an issue. But she didn't worry about that now. She only thought about the present

"What are you thinking about?" Edward whispered in the darkness. Bella looked up at him, smiling softly as her head dug into the softness of the pillow, her fingers squeezing his own.

"This. _You_." She told him honestly.

Edward smiled, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to her forehead leaving them there for just a few extra seconds, taking in her scent. He then pulled away, but not far and only enough so he could tilt his head down – their foreheads now touching.

"I was miserable without you," He whispered into her ear, releasing their hands and wrapping his arm around her shoulder to bring her closer. "I'm so sorry." his body shuddering at his words. "Fuck, I'm so sorry."

"Stop," she murmured, pulling away to touch his face. "Don't think about it. Don't talk about it. Just stay here. With me. Let's just be. Don't think. Okay? Just be here with me." She said and Edward nodded his head, leaning down and nuzzling her nose with his own.

"Stay with me forever," he hummed. Bella nodded her head, her hand placing against his cheek as she felt the small stubble underneath her skin. She smiled and then leaned forward, kissing his lips gently. And with one soft breath from her lips, she looked to him and clutched onto his hand.

"Forever," she whispered.

* * *

**AN:**

**Let me just first off applaud you for getting to this point. Which means you read this chapter. Which means your still following this story. I cannot even thank you enough for sticking by my side, even if I haven't updated for almost two months.**

**The thing is, if you follow me on twitter, you would know I'm transferring from one job to another. It was a spur of a moment thing, and I'm still getting used to the hours so it's been very hectic for me, but thank you so much for reading all the way through. You don't know how much I love you.**

**If you got a sneak peak to this chapter from reviewing last chapter, you would have probably noticed the sneak peak I sent you was not in this chapter. It got cut out because I was so stuck with where I was going. So I just pitched that draft and started a new one.**

**Again, thanks for sticking through this with me. I won't promise you it won't take me as long for the next chapter. I will promise you that I will try my hardest not to keep you waiting for so long. Good news – I'm getting into this new shift at my new job so I'll have more downtime to write. So it really shouldn't take me as long, but don't hold me to it!**

**Thanks so much and as always, review and you'll get a sneak peak to the next chapter!**

**Much love.**

**xoxo**

**- s**


	28. Chapter 27

x

Chapter 27

In a deep sleep – there was no nightmares this night for Bella. It had been the first night in months that she could sleep peacefully. Some nights were manageable – some of the nightmares only shook her gently, then there were the ones where she would wake up screaming and clawing, but tonight was different – nothing haunted her. No memory of the past or some unidentified meaning from the future burdened her sleep. Was it because her mind, body, and soul were relaxed once again now that she and Edward were together?

She wasn't quite sure – but she didn't want to think about the how and whys. The only thing she wanted to think about was the very fact that they were together now. It was all that mattered. He held her close to him, her back pressed firmly into his chest as his arm wrapped protectively over her waist. She felt comforted, weightless. She felt like she was home.

But this blissful sleep was interrupted by something vibrating against her leg. It awoke her with a slight jolt as it continued over and over again. She could feel Edward's arms around her waist, and she looked over her shoulder to see that he was still asleep.

Very carefully she leaned down, slipping her hand underneath his arm to find the buzzing. She then realized as her hand hit the mattress that it was coming from her back pocket. She quickly reached for her cell phone, pulling it out and noticing that she had forty five missed calls. Bella's eyes widened noticing it was well over two in the morning. Very quickly she stood up, awaking Edward who mumbled incoherently trying to ask what she was doing.

She ignored him and walked out of the bedroom, Russell sitting up from his bed and walking with her as her phone began buzzing again in her hand.

"Hi, dad." Bella said quickly, setting her hand to her forehead as she bit her lip.

"Isabella Marie Swan! Do you even know what time it is? I have been calling you all night! I was just about to send my officers up to Seattle and send out a worldwide search party! Do you even understand what the hell you just put me through? Where are you? You need to come home _right now_!" Charlie continued his yelling for five more minutes, telling Bella how irresponsible she was and how she needs to learn to use her cell phone.

"But dad…" Bella interrupted him.

"No buts! Get home right now! If I don't see you in this driveway by the next two hours, I'm kicking your ass all the way back to Phoenix! Do you understand me?" Charlie was furious and there was no way in explaining to him of what happened, or even lying about it. Her best bet was just to go home and deal with him later.

"Yes sir," Bella mumbled, his end hanging up and leaving a blank screen on her phone. Bella slumped forward, knowing that it was only a matter of time before this night was ruined. She looked down at Russell, petting the top of his head as she headed back into the bedroom. Edward was sitting up, rubbing his eyes, his legs hanging over the side of the bed. She shifted into the bedroom, catching his attention as she went to grab her coat that hung over the chair.

"Where are you going?" He said quickly, watching as she walked towards him, coat in hand as she stopped just in front of him.

"I gotta go," she said sadly.

"Go?" Edward bellowed, shaking his head. "Go where?"

"Home. I'm pretty sure my dad popped a few blood vessels from yelling at me so much." She said with a small smile as the thought of it caused her to laugh. "I forgot to call. And if I don't go now he's going to send all of Washington's police departments to Alice's considering that's where he thinks I am."

"That's not good," Edward said and Bella shook her head. "Can't you just call him back?" Edward asked, grabbing onto her hands and bringing her closer. "Just tell him you're too tired to drive."

"I _am_ too tired to drive." She laughed.

"Perfect excuse then." Edward smiled and leaned forward to press a kiss to her chin. "Please don't go. I don't want you to leave yet."

"I have to, Edward. He's already mad," Bella whimpered, feeling his arms go around her waist. She didn't want to leave either. And if this were happening a year ago, she wouldn't have cared enough to drive back. But with her kidnapping still fresh in Charlie's mind, she didn't want to worry him. She couldn't do that to him.

"Can I make you breakfast at least?" He asked and Bella sadly shook her head.

"He gave me two hours to make it home. God knows my truck may only make it halfway there." She groaned, setting her cheek against the top of his head.

"That doesn't make me worried _at all_," he said sarcastically.

"I'm joking. I'll be fine," she smiled, pulling away to look down at him. "It's cute that you're worried about me though."

"Cute?" Edward groaned.

"Yes. Cute." Bella smiled, leaning down and pressing a kiss to his lips but before she could pull away, he had grabbed a hold of her chin and kept her there. The kiss grew intensely, Edward's tongue peaking out to run just along her bottom lip. Bella could feel the whimper in her throat and she opened her mouth to grant him more access. He did just that, grabbing her waist with his free arm and very quickly pulling her up and onto the bed, where he pinned her down onto it. Bella couldn't help but escape to moan that erupted from her chest. She kissed him deeply, passionately, feeling the ridges of his abdomens and biceps, everywhere around her. It would be so easy. He was only in his boxers and she was still in her jeans from earlier. It was an easy slip off, but she didn't want it to be like this.

Not when she was getting ready to go back to Forks.

She wanted to be with him, in that way, when she was going to spend days with him so afterwards they could do it again and again and again and again. Bella felt her hands on his chest and she reluctantly pulled away.

"Edward, I have to go." She whispered, feeling him lean back down and nip at her lips. "I'm sorry. I have to…"

"Okay," he said simply, kissing her once more and causing her to giggle. The sound made him smile against her lips and he squeezed her sides, kissing the side of her neck and down to her shoulder. Bella laughed as his teeth grazed her skin, the two becoming quite playful even though her time was running out.

"Edward!" Bella gasped, feeling him actually bite down onto her shoulder. "Do not give me a hickey! Charlie would have a heart attack!" She said, watching as he lifted his head and smirked.

"Sorry," he chuckled.

"I really have to go. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," she said apologetically.

"When will I see you again?" He asked her, his voice low like a whisper. He eyes showed the sadness that he didn't want her to see, not wanting her to feel bad for leaving. Bella smiled gently, her hands coming up and brushing along his hair.

"Soon." She promised. "Now that I know you're here, I won't be able to stay away."

"Good. I don't want you to," he said, smirking as he pressed his lips to hers. "Can I call you at least?"

"Yes. Please," Bella said eagerly, causing him to grin. He had grabbed his phone and she punched in her number, the two exchanging sad glances, knowing this would be their only way of contact for the next few days, maybe even weeks. Edward had gotten up from the bed, changing into sweats and a t-shirt as Bella said goodbye to Russell, promising she would be back soon. Edward grabbed her hand, lacing their fingers as they walked to her car. Edward quickly turned her around and towards himself, grabbing a hold of her waist and pulling her into him.

She hugged him tightly, feeling the tears sting in her eyes. She may have been overreacting, getting so emotional, but she didn't want to leave him. Especially on such short notice considering they were reunited just earlier. Edward pulled away, setting his hands onto her face and wiping her tears away.

"It'll be okay, baby." He promised her, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"I just don't want to leave." She admitted and Edward nodded his head.

"I know," he sighed, running his fingers through her hair. "Tell your dad that in a few weeks Alice is having a party and you're staying with her for a few days. And then just come stay with me."

"You wouldn't mind me burdening your bachelor life?" Bella smirked, pinching his side. Edward only grinned and rolled his eyes.

"_You_ are my life Bella. Nothing else matters to me more than you, so if you consider that a bachelor life, then yes. Please come burden it whenever you wish." He smirked and Bella smiled, rising onto her tiptoes to kiss his lips.

"I'll miss you," she said, her voice becoming soft and sad. Something had switched – something was worrying her and Edward could tell.

"Don't act as if we won't see each other in a few weeks. Okay?" He told her seriously and she nodded her head. "You'll call me when you get home?"

"Yeah." She nodded her head.

"Okay." He smiled, pressing a long kiss to her forehead just before opening her door for her. Bella slid into her truck, setting her bag down onto the passenger seat. "I love you." He told her, leaning forward to kiss her lips one last time before she left.

"I love you." She smiled, holding onto his hand and not letting go. He stepped back, their hands disconnecting as he then shut her door for her. He smiled at her, noticing her smile wasn't as full as it was ten minutes ago. She was worried she wouldn't see him again, that he wouldn't call her or wouldn't want to be with her anymore.

He would prove her wrong.

Bella put her key in the ignition and turned on her windshield wipers for the snow had begun to fall. Edward waved at her and she waved back, pulling out of the driveway and out of the apartment complex as tears sprung to her eyes. It wasn't until she was on the highway that her phone began to ring, informing her of an incoming text. She grabbed it from her bag and carefully looked between her phone and the road, smiling at the text from Edward.

_**Miss you already**_.

Xx

_Please, please, please be asleep. _

Bella closed the front door silently, biting her lip as she turned the front lock. She tip-toed to the staircase, inwardly groaning as the floorboards whined from her weight. She didn't want to run into Charlie tonight. She would deal with him tomorrow – tonight she wanted sleep. She would have preferred to be asleep with Edward, but her father had other plans. She was nearly to her door, so close that she could see the knob coming from the steps. She quietly began walking across the rug, but someone clearing their throat forced her to yelp, her hands going straight to her mouth.

Charlie was leaning against his doorway, staring at her with a disapproving look that made her bow her head like a scolded child. She felt like she was seven again getting in trouble for eating a cookie just before dinner.

"I don't know what's worse. The fact that you snuck out this morning – or the fact that you lied to me. I don't know what to punish you for." He said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Punish me?" Bella laughed. "You're kidding, right?"

She expected a long talk and some mean glares, but was he actually considering a punishment? She wasn't a teenager anymore so what gave him the right to punish her?

"Why would I even be joking about that, Bella? Do you even understand what I have been going through? You said you'd be home four hours ago. Four hours, Isabella! And when I tried to get a hold of you, you didn't answer! Why would you do that to me? Why would you scare me like that?" Charlie's face was bright red, the vein in his forehead bulging out. Bella wanted to yell at him, tell him she wasn't a child and she could take care of herself. But even with his hard exterior and the way he looked genuinely pissed off, there were tears streaming in his eyes. They didn't fall. Just watered around – but she could still see them.

So instead of arguing she only felt her own tears forming, her lips pressing together as she nodded her head.

"I'm sorry, daddy," she cried.

"No. Don't_ daddy_ me." He told her sternly.

"No, I really am. I'm so sorry." She stepped up in front of him. "Alice and I were hanging out and we lost track of time. I fell asleep and my phone was on vibrate – I just… I'm so sorry. It won't happen again. I promise."

Charlie looked down at his daughter, her tears now streaming down her face as she pleaded for him to forgive her. He couldn't stay mad and could only hope that she would learn from this.

"Okay," he said, nodding his head. "Get on to bed. It's late."

That was as much forgiveness she would get, but she would take it. And very quickly she grabbed onto her father, wrapping her arms around his middle and hugging him tightly. Charlie was surprised, but he hugged her back and kissed the side of her head. Bella smiled when she let go and said goodnight, walking into her room.

She undressed quickly, not wasting any time before changing into a pair of sweats and an old t-shirt, then climbing into bed. She reached for her bag that was sitting on the floor near her bed, opening it up and grabbing her cell phone. She ran through her contact list and hit Edward's number, hoping he wasn't asleep. He answered on the third ring.

"Hi baby," he said, his voice low and sleepy.

"Did I wake you up?" she asked, almost sadly.

"It's alright. I was waiting for you to call," he said, and she could hear him shifting around. "How was the drive?"

"Bad. I almost fell asleep at least twice," she giggled, rubbing at her eyes.

"Your dad still mad?" he asked.

"Yeah, but I think he's going to forgive me." She sighed, picking at the string that had come off from her sweats. "I shouldn't have fallen asleep at your place. He's just… worried about me. You know, ever since what happened."

"He has every right to be. I would be," Edward said sternly. "Did you tell him about Alice's?"

"I didn't get the chance to. I'm just going to talk to him about it tomorrow," she said, shoving her head into the pillow as she groaned. "I wish I didn't leave. I miss you so much."

"Fuck, I know," Edward said. "I want you back here."

"Ugh, don't tempt me." Bella laughed.

"You'll be back soon though to warm my bed." She could nearly _hear _his smirk.

"How about we both warm it? All night long?" Bella smiled, biting onto her lip, listening as Edward moaned at the idea.

"_Shit_, why did you have to go?" he cried childishly. Bella only laughed and grabbed her extra pillow, holding onto it as if it were him next to her.

"I'll be back soon," she said with a sigh.

"I can't fucking wait." Edward chuckled and Bella grinned. "I should let you go, baby. You sound tired."

"I am." She huffed. "But I don't want to hang up."

"I don't either." He sighed. "But I gotta be up for work in a few hours. And you need sleep to deal with your father tomorrow."

"That's true." Bella said, playing with a strand of her hair. "We can talk tomorrow though, right?"

"I'll call you right when I get off work. Sound good?" He asked she nodded, making a little noise with it so he knew she agreed with him. "Okay baby. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Edward?" Bella asked quietly.

"Yeah?"

"I love you. So much." She told him, her voice hitching slightly at the emotion she poured into the words. Edward was silent for a few seconds, but she could hear him breathing – labored and slow.

"I love you too, Isabella. So fucking much. Don't you ever forget that, okay?" he said, and Bella murmured an '_I won't'_. "I'll call you tomorrow. Get some rest."

"Kay," she said with a yawn. "Night."

"Goodnight baby."

Xx

The next morning Bella woke around ten, her arms stretching out as she yawned loudly as she stood from her bed. She walked to her window, seeing the December snow falling down onto the ground. She smiled slightly and made her way downstairs and into the kitchen where Charlie was sitting, sipping coffee and reading the newspaper.

"Morning," she said softly and Charlie looked up at her from the paper. She then turned towards the coffee pot only to gasp as Garrett came into her view. He glared at her hard, coffee in hand as he headed out of the house to return back into his car.

"You're just making his job hard, Bells," Charlie said from the table. Bella nodded her head and didn't say anything, pouring her own cup of coffee.

"You want me to make you some breakfast?" She asked him. "Some eggs and bacon?"

Charlie huffed.

"Trying to get on my good side with breakfast?" He asked. "You're still in an ass-load of trouble, Bella." Bella grabbed her cup of coffee, pouring a bit of milk into it before setting down across from her dad at the table.

"Can we talk?" she asked and Charlie pulled down the corner of his paper to look at her. Bella pleaded with her eyes and Charlie groaned slightly, setting the paper down. "I'm sorry for sneaking out yesterday morning. I just had things to do and I couldn't have Garrett following me."

"And why not?" Charlie asked.

"Because, dad. I wanted to hang out with Alice. I didn't want to deal with him following my every move. It looks bad," she said. "And I'm sorry for not telling you, but I knew if I woke you up you would have Garrett follow me. I just wanted a day to myself."

"And you got it," Charlie said, grabbing his paper to bring it back up.

"I'm not done." Bella chided angrily. Charlie sighed and set the paper back down. "I'm also sorry for not picking up last night. I fell asleep and my phone was on vibrate. It wasn't intentional. You know it wasn't." She told him and Charlie sighed, nodding his head. "Please don't be mad at me anymore."

"Bella…" Charlie began, shifting in his seat. "I wasn't mad." He began but Bella shot him a look. "Okay, okay. I was mad. But more than anything else I was worried. Last time you were here you were kidnapped. Those freaks are still out there. I have no idea where they are and I've had my boys on this case ever since the day you were taken. Even after you were found. We have been looking for the shitheads ever since. You have to understand that they're still out there."

"They won't touch me again," Bella said with a definitive nod.

"And how do you know that?" Charlie asked.

"I just do," Bella replied.

"Think what you may, Bella but if give the opportunity they probably wouldn't pass it up. You gotta think shit through before you go and do things." Charlie sighed. "Your mother and I just want you to be careful. Seattle is a dangerous place, especially for you."

"That's the other thing…" Bella began, biting at her lip.

"What?" Charlie asked.

"Alice is having a thing at her house this weekend… and I wanted to go. Without Garrett," she said quietly, waiting for his answer. Charlie laughed humorlessly and shook his head.

"You are skating on thin ice, Bells. Your mom won't go for it." Charlie shook his head.

"Mom doesn't have to know," Bella said. "If I tell Garrett to back off, he legally has to. I'm an adult."

"Bella, stop making this so difficult." Charlie sighed, shaking his head.

"Just this weekend. Everywhere else he can go with me. But he stays here this weekend. I will go to Alice's and back. We won't stay anywhere but her house. I promise." Bella said, knowing that it was all a lie. Charlie contemplated this for a moment and with a brief sigh he nodded his head. "Thank you, dad."

"Yeah, yeah. It's your ass if your mother finds out."

Xx

"Miss. Bella?" Garrett asked from the front of the car. "We are here."

Bella nodded her head and took in a deep breath, staring out of her window. She could already feel the tears in her eyes and the words caught in her throat. She reached over and grabbed the four white roses that were tied together with a laced bow. She looked up to Garrett who nodded his head and very slowly she opened her car door, stepping out and onto gravel. It crunched below her feet as she began walking, passing through a few people who knelled on the ground crying sad tears.

Before Bella could see her destination, she could feel it. She could feel the agony and the pain radiating through her body. Just on top of the hill is where she needed to go, underneath a weeping willow tree. Once she reached the top of the hill she looked down to the ground, biting at her lip as she knelled to the floor.

"Hi," Bella said softly, feeling her voice crack. "I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get here. I've been a bit occupied." She sighed, feeling the first tear drop over her cheek. "I guess it's not excuse though. This should have been the first place I visited since I got back from the hospital. I'm sorry for that." She adjusted herself on the grass, biting at her lip as she held the roses in her hands, feeling the thorns pinching her skin. "I'm so sorry." She whispered, "I'm so sorry you got mixed in with this mess. I'm so sorry I called you. I'm so sorry you died for me," Bella cried, shaking her head as her tears dropped to the floor. "I can't say anything but I'm sorry. I can't put the words together – I can't…" She shook her head, feeling more hot tears as she stayed silent.

The words wouldn't come out. They were stuck in her throat. They didn't seem right enough.

"I'm sorry," she whispered once again, leaning her hand forward as she pressed her fingertips against the cool marble.

_Bree Elizabeth Tanner_

Bella set the roses down and stood from her spot, turning around and heading out.

Xx

"What did you do today?" Edward asked over the phone as Bella lay in her bed, covered in her blankets.

"I went to Bree's grave…" She trailed off, playing with the ends of her sheets. Edward didn't say anything for a few seconds, and as the line went silent Bella bit on her lip. "Edward?"

"How did it go?" he said quickly.

"Harder than I thought it was going to be." She whispered, feeling the emotions well up again. "All I could say to her was that I was sorry for what happened."

"Why are you sorry?" he asked her, confused.

"If I hadn't called her… If I would have just listened to you…" She trailed off as her voice began cracking.

"Bella, no. Don't blame yourself for that. You did what you thought you had to do to survive. That is not your fault," he said strictly. "Listen to me, okay? You don't need to be sorry for the mistakes that the Volturi made. You did not kill her. They did."

"But if I hadn't –"

"No, Bella! Stop it! It's not your fault. Do you understand me?" he asked but she stayed silent. "Tell me you understand."

"I understand," she whispered.

"Baby, I know you're hurting, but it hurts me to know that you think it was your fault. You did nothing wrong. Okay?" he said and she murmured a yes and dug her head into her pillow as she felt her tears run hot down her face, her lips quivering as she tried to keep her sobs to herself. "Bella… Please… I can't comfort you when we are on the phone. I… I don't know what to do."

"I'm sorry," she cried, wiping her tears. "I just wish I was with you."

"I know. Me too." He sighed. "Did you talk to your dad?"

"I'll be able to come up this weekend without Garrett," Bella said with a nod, wiping the last of her tears. "It's weird asking for permission. It's like I'm in high school again."

"He's just being overprotective. It's understandable," Edward said.

"I know." She sighed. "I miss you. So much."

"I miss you too. I can't wait to have you here with me," he whispered.

"What are we going to do when I have to go home?" Bella asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Home. Phoenix. I have to go back eventually," Bella said as Edward went silent. "Edward?"

"We just won't think about that right now, alright?" he said.

"Okay." She replied softly.

Bella had then said her goodnights to Edward and hung up the phone, drifting off to sleep. For the rest of the week, Bella helped around the house with Charlie while he was at work. She cleaned up and cooked for him, making him feel as comforted as possible to keep on his good side. All that week Bella and Edward were subjected to phone calls and texts, but come Friday morning the two were both antsy to see each other.

So when Bella got into her truck that evening, ready for her drive to Seattle, she was nearly bouncing in her seat.

"Okay…" Charlie began, leaning against the open window. "What are you going to do when you get to Alice's?"

"Call." Bella sighed, rolling her eyes.

"And every day your there, what are you going to do?" he asked.

"Dad… you're treating me like –"

"Answer me."

"When I get up in the morning and before I go to bed, I'm going to call you." She groaned. "I feel like I'm a kid right now."

"That's okay." He nodded. "Better to be safe than sorry," he said, reaching into his back pocket as he lifted something to her. "I want you to take this…" Bella looked down to see the bottle of mace in his hand. She looked at it dubiously and shook her head.

"Dad…"

"It'll give your old man some piece of mind," he said, handing it to her. Bella nodded and took it, setting it into her bag next to her. "That's my girl. Call me when you get there."

"I will dad." She smiled.

"I love you, Bells." He told her.

"I love you too." Bella smiled and shifted the car into reverse, peeling out of the driveway and heading to Seattle. The drive was a slow two hours long and the whole time Bella could feel the butterflies flapping away in her stomach. But not only was she excited but there was a slight sense of dread hanging over her – she would have to tell Edward that she has to leave at the end of next week to go home back to Phoenix.

She would wait to tell him that later. Spoiling their weekend is not something she planned on doing.

When she past the welcome sign into Seattle she was nearly bouncing out of her seat, ready to get out of the car. Ten minutes later she pulled into Edward's complex and grabbed her bag, grabbing her keys and locking the truck up. Just as she turned around, Edward's front door opened and standing in the doorway was the one person she had been waiting to see.

Without any kind hesitation Bella dropped her bags and lunged for Edward who smirked with arms wide open. She jumped into him and held her arms around his neck, feeling him lift her up as her legs wrapped around his waist.

Edward chuckled and hugged her back tightly, feeling comforted having her in his arms He whispered how much he missed her and how much he loved her and once again – the two felt complete.

* * *

**Can I just start by saying what I usually always say in my authors note? I am so sorry! My new job literally has consumed me. **

**And I know I didn't do review replies, but the thing is I had thought I did send them out, but I guess I didn't. I don't even know how that happened.**

**But I hope this makes up for it.**

**And there WILL be review replies for this chapter! So go ahead and review and you will get a teaser to the next chapter!**

**Thank you for being patient.**

**Thank you to my beta, Lauren as well!**

**xoxoxoxoxoxo**


End file.
